Syracuse-area families temporarily displaced by lead paint remediation will soon have a place to seek respite. The first-ever Lead Freedom House is taking shape on the city’s south side. It isn’t much more than a shell right now, with missing windows and even entire sections of the first floor. But it’s seen as a major step forward for families who don’t have a place to go while lead is removed from their primary residence.
Oceanna Fair is co-chair of Families for Lead Freedom Now, which led the effort.
“This is not merely a house, but it's a beacon of hope. It is a sanctuary where families can find respite and support as they navigate the path to safer lead free housing," Fair said. “It is being built to withstand the demands of frequent transitions while preserving the warmth and the humanity that makes a house feel like a home. This house will also serve as a hub of compassionate care, including the presence of dedicated social workers to address the needs of visiting families.”
Darlene Medley chokes up now that the home is becoming a reality. She’s the other co-director at Families for Lead Freedom Now. She started speaking out six years ago when her young twins tested positive for lead poisoning.
“This all was a dream, Just almost 2 1/2 three years ago," Medley said as she began to cry.
"I thought I wasn’t going to cry, but…I just want my community to be free of lead. I truly do.”
Andrew Lunetta is director of the non-profit A Tiny Home for Good, which has spent the past decade building dozens of small houses for men and women formerly homeless or in shelters.
“When I was approached to discuss this very transitional housing, we really couldn't sit on the sidelines any longer," Lunetta said. "Our mission expanded to include something radically different from what we did before. But you can't meet a single person at our organization who said we shouldn't do this.”
The two-family home on South Avenue has three bedrooms in each unit, and is designed to accommodate families for three to six weeks. Any family with lead affected children in a home that needs remediation is eligible. Senator Rachel May secured $200,000 for the $265,000 project. A Tiny Home for Good is funding the rest. The house should be finished by September.
