Lead Inspection Services

A lead inspection is an analysis of all coated surfaces which determines the presence of lead paint and also provides a report explaining the results of the analysis. Lead inspection services are available to owners of City properties in order to find lead-based paint, lead-based paint hazards, or other sources of lead that can cause poisoning.

These services include:

• Inspection – this evaluation tests all the coatings (paint, varnish, shellac) in a dwelling for lead with an x-ray fluorescence analyzer – an electronic device used to find lead-based paint.
• Risk Assessment – an evaluation that tests deteriorated paint, household dust and bare soil for lead.
• EBL Investigation – if a child under age 6 is lead poisoned, this evaluation is done to try to determine where the lead is coming from.

All lead inspections performed on residential City properties are done free of charge and can be arranged by calling the Lead Safe St. Louis hotline number at 314-259-3455.

Remediation Services

While the cost of fixing lead based paint hazards can be expensive, the City of St. Louis has funds to help owners of City properties overcome the financial burden of remediation. Once a property’s lead hazards have been identified and either the property owner or the renter of the property has completed an intake process, assistance may be awarded based upon one of the following criteria:

• Income
• Whether or not children under 6 years of age live in the home or,
• If the property is occupied by its owner.

For more information on remediation services offered by the City of St. Louis, call Cheryl Love at (314) 641-8255 or Janice Phillips at (314) 641-8327.

Multi-Family Lead Remediation Program

In order to prevent lead poisoning before it occurs, the City is offering financial assistance as outlined below to make units lead-safe to developers of multi-family properties which are marketed to low to moderate income families, particularly those with children. Qualified projects will receive $5,000 per unit for the first two units in the property, and $1,000 for each additional unit (assuming the costs of lead remediation equal or exceed the total amount of subsidy provided by the City). The developer will be reimbursed once all of the conditions of the application have been met, including but not limited to: investment of at least $30,000 in project costs (excluding painting not associated with lead paint and floor coverings), obtaining a building permit, and some major system upgrade. Units constructed after 1978, units without lead hazards, efficiency units, units designated for the elderly, loft projects and projects affordable to those over the HUD Income guidelines are not eligible to participate in this program.


Multi-family Lead Remediation Program (download PDF application form)

Multi-Family Window Replacement Program

The City of St. Louis is now offering owners of multi-family building with 2 or more units a reimbursement of up to $200 per window for the installation of new double hung windows for up to 10 windows per unit. This program is for owners with vacant units who allow the City‘s Building Division to perform a “risk assessment and lead inspection” in their units. If lead is detected in or around the windows, the owner will proceed with the installation of new windows throughout the unit. The installer of the windows must have taken a 1-day class in Lead Safe Work Practices and the City of St. Louis will pay for the cost of the class. Any additional lead hazards in the unit must be addressed by the property owner and cleared by the Building Division before reimbursement for the windows is received.

Multi-family Window Replacement Program (download PDF application form)

Additional information for these two multi-family programs may be found by contacting:
Bill Rataj, Community Development Administration, 1015 Locust Street, Suite 1100, St. Louis, Missouri 63101, (314) 622-3400, extension 566, (314) 622-3413 Fax, ratajb@stlouiscity.com.

HEPA Vacuum Loan Services

Lead dust is comprised of fine particles that vacuuming with a regular household vacuum will not remove. It is this dust that contributes to the poisoning of children. Lead Safe St. Louis, in partnership with various community-based organizations, has several HEPA vacuum cleaners available for use free of charge. Equipped with a long hose to reach high places and attachments for use on different types of surfaces, these canister type vacuums can greatly reduce the presence of lead dust and small lead paint chips in homes. The Lead Safe St. Louis HEPA Vacuum Loan Program will arrange to drop off and pick up the vacuum, and provides training on the proper use of the equipment to achieve maximum results. For more information about the HEPA Vacuum Community Partner Loan Program, call Michelle Simmons at 314-641-8670.

Test Your Child

Annual blood lead level testing is regarded as the first line of defense in the protection of young children from childhood lead poisoning and it is supported by MO State law 701.372 which requires that all children less than 6 years of age in an area identified as high risk are to be tested annually. The entire City of St. Louis is considered to be a high risk area and parents are urged to have pediatricians test their targeted age children for lead poisoning each year, through the child’s 6th birthday. Testing services are also available at all federally qualified health centers (FQHC) and at the City of St. Louis Health Department – Lead Health Services, free of charge. For more information or to schedule a test, call Lead Health Services at (314) 657-1456 or drop by at 1520 Market Street, Suite 4038 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Check this link for the Lead Safe St. Louis Testing Calendar for upcoming testing events at health fairs and other sites.

Hotline Number – (314) 259-3455

Lead Safe St. Louis created a Hotline telephone number (314-259-3455) to provide immediate response to questions and requests from citizens about resources for lead hazards controls and lead poisoning prevention. The hotline offers live support from Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Outside those hours callers may leave a message and will receive a return reply within the next business day.

Lead Safe St. Louis Task Force

The Task Force was created to assist the Lead Safe St. Louis program strengthen collaborative efforts with its community and faith based partners and, for the members to serve as advisers to the program. By employing the task force approach, Lead Safe St. Louis encourages its partners to work together in order to avoid duplicating services and to expand the influences of their in-house and outside resources.

Lead Safe St. Louis Committees

In accordance with Mayor Slay’s Comprehensive Action Plan for the Eradication of Childhood Lead Poisoning in St. Louis, the Lead Safe St. Louis program has established six committees whose missions are to assist the program in fulfilling its goals. In addition to addressing their specific topics, each of the committees is also charged with utilizing the components of the Action Plan that impact their areas of concern for guidance. Following are brief descriptions of each committee and their responsibilities.

Community Partners

Comprised of subcontractors of the City’s 2006 Lead Hazard Control grant, each of these committee members represent agencies that support the mission of preventing and eliminating childhood lead poisoning in the City of St. Louis. The group also acts as a community advisory group assisting Lead Safe St. Louis in planning, problem solving and supporting community projects for grant collaboration and compliance.

Contractor Committee

This committee consists of local contractors, lead inspection supervisors, and State and local government employees who perform the tasks of lead risk assessment, remediation, lead clearance, and contract compliance. The committee is charged with making recommendations on: increasing lead hazard control contractor capacity by amplifying its efforts to include minority contractors; making recommendations to increase the availability of lead liability insurance coverage for contractors; and making recommendations to improve contractor performance standards for program units.

Enforcement Committee

Members of this committee are comprised of associates of the City’s law department, lead inspection supervisors, and program administrators. The committee is charged with: making recommendations on enforcement intervention protocols and procedures; assisting in the coordination of existing as well as enhanced enforcement initiatives; and coordinating judicial training and agency staff training.

Housing Committee

The membership of this committee includes: real estate professionals, administrators of diverse housing programs, property owners and landlords, and various lead program administrators. The committee is charged with: making recommendations on how to increase safe and affordable housing in targeted communities; presenting ideas for the establishment of lead-related housing standards (“lead safe housing”); assisting in the development of affordable, temporary housing relocation options for homeowners and rental property owners; assisting in the development of permanent relocation resources to aid families in relocating to safer housing; and assisting with the planning and development of an effective Lead Safe Housing Registry for the City of St. Louis.

Legislative Committee

Comprised of representatives from the offices of Federal, State, and Local governmental legislators, advocacy groups, and property owners, this committee is charged with: reviewing local and state lead related laws to determine their impact on children, families and housing; making legislative recommendations to reduce inefficiencies that may undermine the Action Plan’s progress; and making legislative recommendations to improve the advancement of the Action Plan.

Outreach and Education Partnership

Members of this highly diverse committee include representatives from: regional and municipal governmental entities, managed health care plans, health-based community organizations, child care agencies, and education-based organizations. The charge of this committee includes: recommending approaches to insure the coordination of outreach and education to multi-faceted stakeholders in targeted communities; insuring that the content of any proposed outreach and education materials are consistent with current scientific standards; standardizing educational materials throughout the Action Plan’s various partners; developing additional outreach and education resources that are geared towards prevention; identifying additional partnering agencies that can join or be linked to the initiative; developing educational and informational initiatives to increase blood lead testing of at-risk children and pregnant women; and developing networks that provide opportunities for lead poisoning prevention advocacy as well as training for future advocates.