Lead-safe program helps Yonkers family remove hazards after child tests positive for lead

For this Yonkers mother of two young children, lead poisoning wasn't even on her mind when they purchased the home. The house is from 1909, give or take, 10 years. Our daughter, at her first year blood test, she came up positive for lead at a level that was of concern to us. In Westchester County, more than 81% of the housing stock was built before 1978. The older the building, the more likely it is to have lead-based paint. Lead poisoning can have serious long-term effects on children's health and development, but it is preventable. While we have made significant progress in raising awareness, there's still work to be done to make sure families are protected. The county was awarded a new $7.75 million grant from the federal government to support lead hazard reduction. The Lead Safe Westchester program helped the Headley family get the much-needed repair work. Which included replacing 41 windows, stabilizing paint on 21 additional windows, and addressing lead hazards on doors, stairways, walls, ceilings, and other interior surfaces. Now I feel comfortable and safe. There's a lot of peace of mind for my kids playing now. They're not worried about their health. And in New York City, they have the Lead Hazard Reduction in Healthy Homes program to owners of residential buildings constructed prior to 1960. For more information on these two programs and how to apply, head to our website, news12.com. In Yonkers, Westchester County, Jackie Gillis, News 12.