Published October 16, 2018
By Kim Mulford

GLOUCESTER TWP. - Tens of thousands of young children in Camden County haven't been tested for the presence of lead in their bloodstreams. Landlords across the state aren't required to test for mold — and often lead — in taxpayer-subsidized housing. There's no state-required certification for mold inspectors or mold remediators.

And when a youngster develops a known case of lead poisoning, government officials struggle to relocate that family into a safe, affordable home because New Jersey doesn't have enough of them.

During a two-hour public hearing held Tuesday by the Assembly's Housing and Community Development Committee, state legislators heard testimony about rental units filled with mold, lead, bugs and vermin.

Safe housing advocates and local health officials sketched a troubling portrait of the state's aging stock of low-income housing, though no affected residents spoke. Their testimony echoed the findings of an USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey "Renter Hell" series documenting the challenges faced by residents in toxic rental homes.

Remove the hazards

Kelly McLaughlin of the Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative told the committee two-thirds of New Jersey's homes were built before lead-based paint was banned in 1978. She said one quarter of all children tested have detectable levels of lead in their blood, increasing their risk of learning, memory and behavioral problems.

"The solution is to remove the ... hazards by holding landlords accountable for providing a safe, healthy and affordable home for their tenants," McLaughlin said.

Ben Haygood, special projects manager for the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey, said Camden schools spend more than $100,000 on bottled water each year, since lead was found in the water system there 14 years ago. But more than 80 percent of lead exposure comes from housing, he said.

"Overall, there has been a failure to invest in our housing infrastructure," Haygood said.

The network wants the state to require lead inspection for single- and double-family homes, and to require a lead-safe certificate before a home is sold or rented to another family.

Elyse Pivnick, senior director for environmental health at Isles, Inc., said most rental housing in Trenton is exempted from lead-testing requirements.

"It is a crime, it is wrong, that we allow landlords to get permission to rent their house in the Section 8 housing program and not require that it be tested for lead and become lead-safe," Pivnick said.

Bruce Shapiro, deputy director of regulatory affairs for New Jersey Realtors, said it costs more than $20,000 to remove lead from the average size home in Camden, where the median home price in July was just $39,000. He said the state should dedicate taxes collected from paint sales to help homeowners make the necessary repairs.

Require testing
Paschal Nwako, Camden County's health officer and public health coordinator, wants the state to require all children enrolling in daycare programs and kindergarten to be tested for lead. Chris Merkel, Monmouth County's health officer and public health coordinator, said the state has a "very low" screening rate.

The two health officials suggested instituting standards for mold inspectors and remediation, since mold contributes to asthma in children and can sicken adults with fragile health conditions. They said mold is best addressed with code enforcement and timely repairs when water damages a building.

"It's a huge, huge problem in the state of New Jersey," Merkel said.

Housing equals health
Pivnick said she is amazed by how few people associate their health with the quality of their housing.

Her comments triggered a response from Assemblywoman Annette Chaparro (D-Hudson), who said she and her siblings grew up in public housing. She recounted her brother's life-threatening asthma attacks.

"You know when he outgrew it? When he left the housing authority," Chaparro said.

Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly (D-Passaic) said he plans to hold more hearings on the subject. The next will be held Nov. 29 at William Paterson University.

Kim Mulford: @CP_KimMulford; (856) 486-2448; [email protected]