Primary Department: Public Health Services
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Leah Barton ─ Executive Director
Secondary Department: N/A
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official:
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Policy
Project ID (if applicable): FY26_LHRP
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Not a grant item
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request by Public Health Services for approval of delegation of signing authority to Harris County Public Health Executive Director, Leah Barton, as Authorizing Official to approve Lead Abatement activities performed under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Lead Hazard Reduction Program Grant and as the Certifying Environmental Officer for HUD related environmental documents pertaining to the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes (OHLCHH) Lead Hazard Reduction Grant, TXLHD0610-25 in order to facilitate the program's productivity.
end
Background and Discussion:
Childhood lead poisoning is a major health concern as it has numerous lifelong effects on children’s nervous system and brain development. There is also a negative correlation between childhood lead poisoning, behavioral problems and learning disorders. In Harris County, 122K homes are potentially at risk for lead-based -paint hazards (homes built prior to 1978). 19K children under the age of 6 live below the poverty line. Children living below the poverty line have a higher probability of residing in homes built prior to 1978. Thus, there is an evident need to increase lead abatement and blood lead level testing in the community. Public Health Services is requesting the authorization for the Executive Director of Harris County Public Health or her designee to execute agreements on behalf of the County for applicants that qualify and are approved for lead abatement assistance and relocation.
Expected Impact:
The expected impact of the program’s efforts includes reduced exposure to lead-based paint hazards as well as improved health outcomes by detecting elevated blood lead levels, identifying its source, and abating the hazard, expeditiously. The lead remediation in homes and child-occupied facilities will also improve the quality of the family’s everyday lives while our outreach and abatement efforts will increase overall awareness of the hazards and lifelong effects associated with lead poisoning.
Alternative Options:
Not Applicable.
County Strategic Plan Goal: 4. Improve physical and mental health outcomes across all communities.
County Strategic Plan Objective: P: Improve children’s health outcomes.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): Choose an item.
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): Choose an item.
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): Choose an item.
Health Initiative (Goal 4): P2: Expand lead reduction program to reduce child exposure.
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): Choose an item.
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): Choose an item.
Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:
Prior Court Action (if any):
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02/26/2026 |
298 |
Permission to accept U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Grant Award - Approved |
Location:
Address (if applicable): N/A
Precinct(s): Countywide
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County Attorney’s Office Legal Review (for Harris County Code Items only) |
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Anticipated Court Date: 4/16/2026
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): 4/1/2026
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or ARPA related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Scott Jeansonne, Director of Environmental Public Health Division, Public Health Services
Attachments (if applicable): Adhoc Letter - Authorizing Official, Adhoc letter - Certifying Officer