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ECDA says new HUD radon testing, lead checks are slowing rehab projects; ARPA and CDBG program updates provided
Summary
ECDA staff told Kankakee’s Community Development Committee that recent HUD radon testing requirements and lead checks have added scope and scheduling delays to rehab projects, and provided progress counts for CDBG, ARPA MIRA and rental rehab programs.
Barbara Watson, speaking for the city’s ECDA, told the Community Development Committee on June 1 that new HUD requirements have added radon testing to the scope of housing rehabilitation projects and that requirement is creating scheduling challenges.
"We are now doing radon testing for every project," Watson said, describing a HUD‑approved process in which homeowners use test kits and labs return results; if radon is detected, mitigation must be added to the project scope. Watson said licensed radon mitigators tend to schedule multiple properties at once and that the city is rotating mitigators to make efficient use of their time, which has slowed some project starts.
Watson provided program counts: 26 construction projects are in progress with two completed in the last month; four lead‑abatement projects are currently active and the department completed ten lead projects in the first half of the year. ECDA expects three additional lead projects under a secured three‑year funding commitment, though Watson said the city has not yet received a final HUD green light on the next grant agreement.
On the Community Development Block Grant housing rehabilitation program, Watson said the goal for the year is 14 projects: two are complete and 12 are in progress with funding allocated to complete those tasks. For the ARPA‑funded MIRA program, ECDA has funding for 14 projects (two completed, one in progress and five properties in intake). The ARPA rental rehabilitation program likewise has funding for 14 projects, with two active projects and two more in intake; Watson said the rental rehab program is especially challenging when resident paperwork and landlord cooperation are needed before work can begin.
Watson also said the CDBG demolition program has funding for eight projects with four completed; she emphasized that the city requires a legal demolition order before proceeding on any demolition work. Watson said she plans to draft formal ARPA rule changes in the next two weeks to better align program rules with the new testing and lead requirements and return to the committee with recommendations in July.
The committee asked clarifying questions about testing procedures and mold inspection; Watson said mold is captured in the Healthy Homes checklist and, if funding allows, remediation will be included in project scopes.
