ECIA presents HUD-funded lead paint and healthy-homes grant; Bettendorf workshop set for July 8

Trisha Wagner, grant writer and program development coordinator at the East Central Intergovernmental Association (ECIA), told the Bettendorf City Committee of the Whole on June 15 that ECIA secured HUD funding to support lead remediation and broader healthy‑homes improvements across its service area.

Wagner described eligibility as households at or below 80 percent of area median income and properties built in 1978 or earlier where lead paint is found; she added that a child 5 years old or younger must live in or visit the home (roughly 30 hours per year qualifies). "Lead in the home is bad and it's it's highly toxic and is poisonous to adults and especially to children," Wagner said, explaining the program's public‑health rationale.

ECIA will provide inspectors to test for lead hazards and will assess necessary repairs, Wagner said, and the agency maintains a pool of approved contractors to perform remediation work so homeowners do not need to solicit bids. She told council the grant is not a homeowner loan: "No" — when asked whether homeowners must provide a match — and that the city has partnered to provide match funding so eligible recipients may receive full grant coverage.

Wagner gave an example income threshold she said applied in Scott County for a family of four (about $78,000) and characterized typical awards as modest — "maybe the average 20,000" — while noting some homes have received substantially more when needed. She said the grant funding must be allocated within five years and may be combined with other local grant sources to address the full scope of needed work.

To help applicants, Wagner announced an in‑person application workshop at the Bettendorf Community Center on July 8, planned from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with online registration and walk‑ins accepted; she said applicants may also call the number on ECIA materials to get one‑on‑one assistance. "We will be there ... to do an in‑person application workshop," Wagner said.

The presentation included before‑and‑after photos of completed projects from ECIA’s region to illustrate typical repairs — new windows, siding, porches and bathroom work — and Wagner emphasized that older, poorly maintained housing disproportionately exposes children to lead risks.

The committee asked a handful of clarifying questions about caps and city contributions; staff said the city contributes $2,000 per year over a five‑year period in support of the lead program to leverage HUD funding and other grants. Council members and staff encouraged outreach ahead of the July 8 session so eligible residents learn about the program and get application help.

The Committee did not take formal action on the grant during the meeting; the ECIA presentation and the announced workshop were informational and intended to drive applications and outreach.