# Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act of 2024

This bill strengthens protections for young children living in federally-assisted housing by requiring landlords to test for lead-based paint hazards before families with children under six move in. Lead paint is a serious health threat to young children, causing brain damage, learning problems, and developmental delays even at low exposure levels. Right now, many federally-assisted rental properties aren't required to check for these hazards before families occupy them, leaving vulnerable kids at risk.

Under this bill, landlords who receive federal housing assistance—whether through rental vouchers, public housing programs, or other federal funding—must conduct a professional risk assessment for lead hazards within 15 days of when a family with a young child is approved to move in. This isn't just a visual inspection; it requires actual testing to detect lead. If hazards are found, the landlord has 30 days to fix them completely, with no extensions allowed. The landlord must also notify all residents that lead hazards were identified and will be addressed. This creates a hard deadline that prevents the common practice of indefinitely delaying lead remediation.

The bill also gives families an emergency escape route if landlords fail to control identified hazards. Families with young children can relocate immediately to a lead-safe unit—either one built after 1978 (when lead paint was banned) or one that has been certified lead-free—without losing their rental assistance, paying penalties, or waiting on housing lists. This ensures that if a landlord drags their feet, families aren't trapped in a dangerous situation. The bill applies to roughly 2 million federally-assisted rental units nationwide, potentially protecting hundreds of thousands of young children from lead exposure.