They thought a program offered by Allegheny County would bring salvation to their family and 1900 home. The county program, launched in 2017, promised funds to remove lead from 175 homes. Yet, nearly two years later, the county has removed lead from only 19 homes. With 63 other families still waiting to have their homes worked on, the county’s federal grant is set to run out at the end of this year. County officials say they will seek a deadline extension.
So the Stalnakers wait. For 17 months, they’ve been asked to endure program delays while their children live and sleep in a home confirmed to contain lead. They can’t afford to leave, and who would buy the home anyway? The law requires they disclose the lead determination.
Jenny and Clint wipe down their home each night in a stopgap effort to control harmful dust they’d hoped would be gone by now.
At their son’s 2.5-year check-up last February, a blood test by finger prick showed lead levels of 40 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL). The pediatrician explained that levels that high would mean the children couldn’t return home until the lead was remediated. Because lead dust on the boy’s skin could cause a spike, the pediatrician ordered a deeper blood draw, which showed a lead level of 12 µg/dL.
It was not much of a relief for the parents. Their 5 year-old daughter’s last blood-lead level test in July 2018 returned at 17 µg/dL.
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