The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced the
broadest lead disclosure settlement ever with one of the nation's largest
property management firms, the Denver-based Apartment Investment and
Management Co. (AIMCO).
Families living in more than 130,000 apartments in 47 states and
Washington, D.C., will live in lead-safe units as a result of this landmark
settlement.
AIMCO allegedly failed to warn its tenants that their homes may
contain lead-based paint hazards in violation of the Residential Lead-Based
Paint Hazard Reduction Act. Under the settlement, AIMCO has agreed to test
and clean up lead-based paint hazards in more than 130,000 apartments
nationwide and pay a $129,580 penalty. The penalty and the number of units
being tested and cleaned are the largest ever in a lead disclosure
settlement.
Because AIMCO voluntarily disclosed violations of the Residential
Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act, the company was able to
significantly reduce its penalty. At the same time, HUD and EPA are
ensuring that AIMCO's properties will become free of lead-based paint
hazards.
Approximately three-quarters of the nation's housing stock built
before 1978 (approximately 64 million dwellings) contains some lead-based
paint. Of those, approximately 25 million housing units have lead-based
paint hazards such as chipping and peeling paint and lead in dust,
according to a recent HUD survey. When properly maintained and managed,
lead-based paint poses little risk. However, nearly one million children
have blood lead levels above safe limits, mostly due to exposure to
lead-based paint hazards.
Further information on this action and other lead issues is available
by phone and on the Internet, which can be accessed at most public
libraries. General information and disclosure requirements are available on
the Internet at www.hud.gov/offices/lead and www.epa.gov/lead and by phone
by contacting the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD.
Information on EPA's Audit Policy is available at
www.epa.gov/oeca/ore/apolguid.html.
Published: January 15, 2002
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