New York City

New York City (NYC) identified five census tracts within a single zip code in Brooklyn (the Williamsburg community) with increased cases of childhood lead poisoning. Compared with Brooklyn overall, this area had higher percentages of individuals living below the federal poverty line, housing built before 1920, and individuals who speak a language other than English at home. Williamsburg is also home to a large Hasidic Jewish community.

The NYC Healthy Homes Program (HHP) developed a targeted outreach and education approach to reduce lead exposure in this community. Activities included the following:

• NYC HHP conducted interviews in 2015 with healthcare providers to raise lead poisoning prevention awareness, especially related to the need for risk assessment, blood lead testing, and reinforcement of lead poisoning prevention measures for families. HHP also worked with community leaders to translate educational materials for healthcare providers into Yiddish.
• HHP partnered with three community-based organization (CBOs):
  • During 2016–2018, CBOs published advertisements in English and Yiddish in local community newspapers and held community outreach events to increase awareness of lead poisoning prevention.
  • In 2017, CBOs ran an ad campaign regarding landlord legal obligations and placed advertisements in English and Yiddish in neighborhood bus shelters.
  • In 2018, CBOs facilitated a focus group with contractors, collaborating with the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development and HPP staff members, to discuss how to encourage lead abatement and safe work practices.
  • In 2018, CBOs held a building owners forum to promote the availability of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Lead Hazard Control Demonstration grant funding to support lead-based paint hazard repairs in child-occupied buildings.
  • In 2018, CBOs mailed letters to over 4,000 families in the greater Williamsburg community. CBOs sent letters and educational materials in both English and Yiddish. The goal of these letters was to educate residents about childhood lead poisoning prevention, the importance of blood lead testing, and landlord responsibilities under Local Law 1.

Blood lead testing increased in Williamsburg from 4,080 children under age 6 in 2014 to 4,231 children in 2018, a 3.7% increase. The percentage of children with an elevated blood lead level (≥5 micrograms per deciliter) decreased from 5.6% in 2014 to 4.1% in 2018.