Erie County health department offers grants to remove lead paint hazards from older homes

Low-income homeowners and landlords in Erie County and nearby counties can apply to the Erie County Health Department for grants that pay to remove lead paint and other hazards from older homes.

The department's Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes manages the work from start to finish. A licensed assessor inspects the property for lead in paint, soil and dust. The department then writes the scope of work, hires a state-licensed lead abatement contractor and oversees construction. The program also covers radon, asthma triggers and other safety problems.

Typical jobs include window replacement, new exterior siding and lead containment, the department said. Contractors are paid directly with federal grant money once the work passes clearance testing.

Why it matters

Houses built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint, which can cause permanent developmental harm in young children as it wears down. Much of the housing in Sandusky and surrounding towns was built before then.

Who can apply

The department's program page says the grants are for low-income families and local landlords in Erie, Lorain, Huron, Sandusky and Ottawa counties. Manufactured homes are not eligible.

There are separate applications for owner-occupied homes and rental properties.

What we don't know yet

The department's own pages don't agree on how much money is available. The program page says $6.3 million in active grants. A Sept. 25 post recruiting contractors says $8 million in its headline and more than $9 million in its text, and lists four counties instead of five.

The pages also don't list income limits, how much work a single home can receive, how many homes the program expects to serve or whether there is an application deadline.

Grant questions go to the department's HUD hotline at 419-626-5623, ext. 5141, or healthyhomes@echdohio.org. Parents who want a child tested for lead can call the Erie County Community Health Center at 567-867-5174.

Sources: Erie County Health Department, Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes; contractor recruitment post, Sept. 25, 2026