NEW PHILADELPHIA LEAD PAINT DISCLOSURE ORDINANCE TAKES EFFECT ON DECEMBER 21, 2012
NEW PHILADELPHIA LEAD PAINT DISCLOSURE ORDINANCE TAKES EFFECT ON DECEMBER 21, 2012
The Philadelphia Department of Health is just getting around to the final drafts of the information they plan to put on their website informing Philly rental owners about their responsibilities under the new lead paint disclosure law. Pre-1978 housing must be certified as either lead free or lead safe prior to a new tenancy where children aged six and under will reside (Highlights of ordinance).
In a recent meeting with Health Department officials we reminded them there may be some misunderstanding among landlords because everyone was waiting for the Health Dept to post information about how a person could be certified by the Health Department as qualified to conduct comprehensive lead inspections and risk assessments, pursuant to the ordinance. The Health Department is not planning to develop its own certification for lead inspectors. But the ordinance also allows lead inspectors to be certified by the EPA as trained lead dust sampling technicians. That kind of training takes one day. The Health Department hopes to provide some classes for folks to obtain their EPA training as lead dust sampling technicians. The leading real estate organizations in the City (including the Apartment Association) will also be offering the training.
Folks can get certification by the EPA as a lead dust sampling technician to do the necessary inspection pursuant to the law and certify a property is lead safe (we all know the difficulties of getting lead free, but of course that remains an option for any property). Staff can get the certification. The inspection can thus be done in-house.
Contact Christine at cgertz@aagp.com for information regarding these or any legislative issue.
Category: Legislation
Equal Housing Opportunity