Finding 2024-002 N. Special Tests and Provisions: N17. Environmental Contaminants Testing and Remediation – Assistance Listing No. 14.881 Corrective Action Plan: Response/Planned Actions: Under the recent Property and Asset Management (PAM) reorganization and CHA’s Year of Renewal, the Healthy Homes...
Finding 2024-002 N. Special Tests and Provisions: N17. Environmental Contaminants Testing and Remediation – Assistance Listing No. 14.881 Corrective Action Plan: Response/Planned Actions: Under the recent Property and Asset Management (PAM) reorganization and CHA’s Year of Renewal, the Healthy Homes Division was established to identify and address historic indoor environmental health hazards and proactively engage CHA programs in primary prevention strategies. In addition to regulatory lead and asbestos compliance, the Healthy Homes team will engage on mold, pest/pesticides, indoor air quality, and other indoor environmental concerns. Strategies include, but are not limited to: • Establish a compliance assurance protocol and tracking system and engage appropriate regulatory agencies (HUD, Illinois Department of Public Health, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Chicago Department of Public Health) • Establish records management schedule related to inspections, abatement or remediation, and clearance testing • Draft Quality Assurance Performance Plan and Scientific Integrity Policy • Track, route, and review applicable healthy homes-related work orders • Create screening and assessment criteria (for inspection schedules) • Provide basic environmental health training to CHA staff and media-specific training to appropriate programs (for instance, mold cleanup for Property Operations Managers) • Coordinate training and review certification/license of CHA contractors (construction vendors and property management firms) • Establish policies, procedures, and best practices guidance Timeline: Spring/Summer 2025: - Healthy Homes Team (within PAM) established and full team build out begins. Team hiring will be complete by September 2025. o Healthy Homes Director (1) o Environmental Health and Safety Managers (2) o Environmental Health and Safety Analysts (2) o Quality Assurance/Quality Control Analyst (1) - Coordinated renovation, repair, and painting (RRP) training for construction vendors, inhouse construction project management, and Property Management firms (16 courses, 20 participants each, between June and October). RRP is a federal regulation that requires lead-safe work practices in targeted housing. Established CHA’s RRP Policy that requires all construction and maintenance staff and vendors to be RRP certified by November 2025. All maintenance, repair, renovation, rehabilitation, or construction work will be done under RRP, in both target and non-target housing. Current and ongoing into 2026: - Drafting policies, procedures, and best practices guidance for construction and property operations, including but not limited to life-cycle abatement manual, lead safe work practices, safe mold clean-up and best practices, and lead abatement during unit turns - Creating a data management system which includes relevant unit inventory and recurrent inspection schedules. Contact Person: Leonard Langston, Jr., Interim Chief Property Officer Anticipated Completion Date: Q1 2026