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County health officials brief legislators on lead remediation plan, staffing and language access

Health, Human Services and Housing Committee (Ulster County) · April 1, 2026

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Summary

Health Department staff described a state program to inspect pre‑1980 rental units for lead hazards and said the county budget includes inspection and records positions; officials also highlighted language‑access contracts and outreach plans and cautioned about clinical staff recruitment challenges.

Health Department officials told the committee the state is rolling out a program to be more proactive in enforcing lead safety in rental properties with more than two units, starting in Kingston in 2025 and expanding as state contracts arrive. Officials said the county has budgeted three positions to perform inspections and enforcement and a technology/records clerk to manage the high volume of units, but they cautioned that the state contract and exact unit counts are not finalized.

"The idea is working with Kingston starting in 2025. The first step is inspecting these properties," a health official said, describing screening and follow‑up tests to determine remediation needs. The official emphasized the hard work will be enforcing remediation orders and then re‑inspecting properties to confirm compliance.

Health staff also discussed health‑promotion proposals (for example, a heart‑healthy initiative) that currently lack grant funding and said the department contracts with a language‑services vendor (LiquiLinks) to provide translation and interpretation for county materials and events. Officials warned of ongoing challenges recruiting clinical staff and said the county recently received four new cars to support field work.

County public‑health staff additionally highlighted coordinated planning for an upcoming large festival (Mountain Jams) moving to Ulster County, saying the event will require multi‑departmental emergency‑services and mental‑health support.

Officials asked the legislature to note that some lead‑remediation tasks and enforcement work will depend on how much state funding arrives and on final contract terms; they promised to return with more detailed contract and unit counts when available.