Town of Arlington, Fair Housing Action Plan (July 2021)

Citation: Town of Arlington, Fair Housing Action Plan (July 2021)
Jurisdiction: Arlington (municipal)
Source: Official source
Original Source: https://www.arlingtonma.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/57214/637641171662530000 ↗

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Lead-Based Paint
For older communities like Arlington, a notable risk is always the presence of lead-based paint. Lead is a
powerful neurotoxin that causes severe physical, developmental, and intellectual disabilities in children who are
exposed to it. The element was common in paint products through the mid-20th century and was officially
banned in the US in 1978. Many older homes, especially homes that were poorly maintained, still have exposed
lead-based paint. Landlords are required to remove lead paint or mitigate the risk of exposure when their
tenants include a child age 6 or under. People selling homes must disclose any knowledge of lead paint in their
home, but they are not required to mitigate it. Prevention of lead exposure and enforcement of lead-related
laws has a mixed record.43
Academic research has identified several social and demographic variables that correlate with lead-based paint
exposure, including race, income, wealth, poverty status, education, vacancy, home values, tenure (renting versus
owning), and more. 44 Households with lower incomes, those with less wealth, and renters (especially lower-income
renters) are more likely to be exposed to lead-based paint, because homes at lower price points often suffer

43 For a discussion of this subject, see the following: Rafael Mares. “Enforcement of the Massachusetts Lead Law and Its Effect on Rental

Prices and Abandonment.” Journal of Affordable Housing, Volume 12, Issue 3 (2003).
http://www.duncankennedy.net/documents/Housing%20other%20articles/Enforcement%20of%20the%20MA%20Lead%20Law.pdf
44 For a summary of recent geographic research on lead-based paint poisoning and risk factors, see Table 1 in the following academic