Obama demands answers
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Printable FormatPEORIA JOURNAL-STAR
BY CLARE HOWARD
PEORIA - U.S. Sen. Barack Obama wants accountability within three weeks from HUD regarding what he says was improper and unfair evaluation in the rejection of Peoria's past $3 million grant applications for lead mitigation.
Obama, D-Ill., is asking U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson to respond by Dec. 15 to a series of questions about the distribution of lead mitigation grants.
Peoria County has the highest rates of childhood lead poisoning in the state, and Illinois has the highest rates in the nation, yet three collaborative grant applications made to HUD over the past three years by the city and the Peoria City/County Health Department were rejected.
In a letter dated Nov. 21 to the HUD secretary, Obama specifically questioned the way Peoria's 2005 application was dealt with and referred to a recent investigation by the HUD inspector general that concluded grant applications to HUD's Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control were improperly judged.
"The IG's report found problems with ineligible applicants receiving grants, grants being awarded without proper support, and eligible applicants being denied grants," Obama wrote.
"Based on the IG's findings, I am concerned that Illinois communities may have been improperly and unfairly judged by HUD staff and contractors in the past," Obama said.
Peoria officials called HUD multiple times to verify their 2005 application was received and complete, yet no confirmation was given, Obama said. Ultimately, a HUD employee responded no feedback was allowed during the application process, but the application was later rejected because it was missing a page.
Obama asked the HUD secretary for comprehensive records on all Illinois communities that applied for grants under the Lead Based Paint Hazard Control Grant Program. He wants information on communities that were awarded grants and the amount of each grant.
He questioned what training and assistance HUD gave communities applying for the grant, specifically assistance with HUD's new electronic system to submit applications.
He requested information on changes HUD has made to address deficiencies identified in the inspector general's report.
A spokesman for HUD said the department will not comment on Obama's letter.
McFarland Bragg, president of Peoria Citizens Committee for Economic Opportunity, said, "In 2006, we at least can think everyone will be playing with the same deck."
Peoria is working on the next grant application, said Curt Fenton, director of nursing with the health department.
"We are looking forward to the next grant cycle. If they are on notice Sen. Obama and others are watching, we may do better," Fenton said. "My concerns are whether national funding levels for this work are adequate or whether there will be funding cuts."
City Councilwoman Barbara Van Auken said, "This certainly answers the mystery of what happened to Peoria's application this past year."
Childhood lead poisoning can often be traced to lead paint in homes constructed before 1979. Friction between painted surfaces in windows and doors can produce a fine, nearly invisible dust that spreads throughout a home. While childhood lead poisoning progresses without overt symptoms, it can reduce IQ, create learning disabilities, impair hearing, reduce attention span and create hyperactivity.