Lead Safe Home in Zanesville

Thanks to a federal grant a Zanesville family’s home is finally lead free.

The Cornell family who reside on Grandview Avenue discovered lead in their home after their youngest child had a lead test done by head start. The test revealed a lead level of 23 and anything over five is considered poisonous. The Cornell’s did not know there was lead in their home before the test.

"I never did," William Cornell said. "No, not really," his wife Jennifer explained "How it felt is our dream of owning a home had turned into a nightmare. There were nights i would sit and just stare at all the poison in my house and just think what am i going to do now?"

The Cornell’s were able to renovate their home using money from a federal grant that gave $2.3 million to the Ohio Department of Health’s Ohio Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention Program in 2013.

"The grant that the federal government has been offering to us helps alleviate a lot of the pressure off the family," Ann Hollingsworth who works at the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department said. "When a child’s lead poisoned we have to go in and do a lead investigation and find all the hazards within the home. And legally they have to get rid of all the hazards."

Around $20,000 was spent helping the Cornell’s renovate their home. Hollingsworth said there are more projects ongoing.

Thirty-eight homes in Muskingum County have been made lead free at a cost of $283,382 from the grant. 

To be elgible for grant money your home must meet the following guidlines. It must test positive for lead, a child under six years old either lives in the home or visits it a significant amount. A pregnant woman lives there. The grant is also restricted to individuals who meet low-to-moderate income guidlines. 

You can call the Ohio Lead Hazard Control Progam at 1-877-532-3723 to see if your home qualifies.