Bill · S. 5455· Senate(119-S-5455)
Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act of 2026
- Introduced
- 9/22/2026
- Last activity
- 9/22/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (text: CR S4861)
- Sponsored by
- Richard Durbin
- Cosponsors
- - 0 - 1
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
S. 5455, titled the ``Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act of 2026'', amends the Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act to add new rules for families with children under the age of 6. The bill requires owners of certain federally assisted or insured housing to conduct initial risk assessments for lead-based paint hazards when these families live or are expected to live in the housing. It explicitly states that a visual assessment alone is not enough to meet this requirement. If lead-based paint hazards are found, the owner must control the hazards and achieve clearance within a strict 30-day period with no extensions allowed. Additionally, the bill permits families to relocate on an emergency basis without penalties or waitlists if the lead hazards are not controlled properly.
Yes· 3 of 16
Would children be better off under this?+8
The bill directly protects young children under the age of six from the severe health dangers of lead-based paint hazards in their homes.
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+7
Low-income households receiving federal housing assistance benefit significantly from mandated lead risk assessments and hazard controls.
Does this make housing cost less?+6
The bill improves living conditions and emergency relocation rights for families in federally assisted housing by addressing lead-based paint hazards.
The opposite
Would business owners be better off under this?-2
Property owners face strict 30-day compliance deadlines and potential financial burdens to remediate lead hazards.
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?-2
The bill authorizes such sums as may be necessary for appropriations to carry out lead-safe housing procedures from 2027 through 2031.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Initial Risk Assessments for Tenant-Based Rental Assistance: Section 2(3)(A)(ii)(I)(aa) requires owners of covered housing receiving tenant-based rental assistance under section 8(o) to conduct an initial risk assessment for lead-based paint hazards not later than 15 days after the family and owner submit a request for approval of a tenancy or lease renewal. This ensures that homes rented by families with young children are actively checked for dangerous lead hazards.
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Mandatory Hazard Control Within 30 Days: Section 2(3)(A)(ii)(III)(aa) mandates that if lead-based paint hazards are identified, the owner must control the hazards and achieve clearance not later than 30 days after the initial risk assessment. This provision protects children by forcing a prompt cleanup of toxic paint without allowing any extensions of the 30-day deadline.
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Emergency Relocation Rights: Section 2(3)(B)(i) allows families with a child under the age of 6 to relocate on an emergency basis without penalties, rent payments for the old unit, waitlists, or lapses in assistance if lead-based paint hazards are identified and not controlled. This gives families a safe way to escape dangerous living conditions immediately.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Strict 30-Day Limit and Compliance Burdens for Property Owners: Section 2(3)(A)(ii)(III) requires property owners to control identified lead-based paint hazards and achieve clearance within 30 days, with no extensions allowed under section 2(3)(A)(ii)(IV). While intended to protect residents, this rigid timeline could potentially place severe logistical or financial pressure on owners, which might lead to housing availability issues or strain landlord-tenant relations if contractors are not immediately available.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Children+8Good For Low Income Households+7Good For Urban Residents+5Good For Women+5Good For Young Adults+5Good For African Americans+4Good For Hispanic Americans+4Good For Immigrants+4Good For Middle Class Households+4Good For People With Disabilities+4Good For Veterans+4Good For Business Owners-2
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Affordable Housing+6Improves Disability Rights+3
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+3Increases Federal Power+3
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Environmental Protections+4
- Economy And Finance
- Reduces Government Spending-2
- 9/22/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (text: CR S4861)
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
Todd YoungRepublican · Indiana