When I moved to Dorchester, Massachusetts, in 2022, I was excited about living in one of those classic New England triple-decker homes – the kind you’d see in movies. Painted in faded pastels and adorned with a charming porch, my new home had the picturesque character that had always fascinated me.
But as I signed my lease, my landlord handed me an extra page to sign: a disclaimer stating the house was old and the paint could contain lead.
At the time, I wasn’t familiar with the dangers of lead. The rent was affordable, so I signed without much thought. But as weeks went by, the disclaimer lingered in my mind. Curious, I began researching lead poisoning – and what I discovered left me shocked: the irreversible damage to children’s brains and the number of families still exposed. And, while lead poisoning affects families across the income spectrum, it disproportionately impacts low-income communities and families of color. The federal government banned lead paint nearly 50 years ago. How is it possible that a toxin outlawed decades ago still poses such a serious risk today? It just feels wrong.
As it turns out, I was more fortunate than many. While my landlord had warned me of the potential danger, many renters never receive such notice. By law, landlords must provide tenants with disclosure forms about lead paint. In many states, the responsibilities of a landlord just go as far as checking a box that says “owners/lessor has no knowledge of lead-based paint/or lead-based paint hazards in the housing.” But there’s no requirement for them to actually test or proactively check for lead.
And it’s not just renters – new homeowners are often unaware they’re buying into risk, unknowingly disturbing lead paint during renovations. Sometimes, even landlords and owners don’t realize the danger. No one should have to rely on luck – or a disclaimer – to feel safe in their own home.
New England’s Lingering Lead Crisis
Across New England, many homes quietly conceal this hazard. The reason? More than half of the region’s homes were built before 1978, when the U.S. banned lead paint. Before its ban, lead paint was widely used on the walls and woodwork of homes, schools, and daycares. This hidden threat persists in many places where homeowners, property managers, or landlords have not taken measures to remediate or clean up lead.
Children face the greatest danger. They’re just learning, eagerly exploring their world – discovering new textures, flavors, and colors. Their natural curiosity makes them especially vulnerable to lead exposure. Their developing bodies also make them more susceptible. Unlike adults, babies and young children don’t yet have a fully formed blood-brain barrier – the natural shield that helps keep toxins like lead out of the brain. Even a tiny amount of lead can cause irreversible harm to developing brains, leading to learning delays, speech challenges, and behavioral issues. A speck of lead paint – as small as a grain of salt – is enough to poison a child.
The Centers for Disease Control estimate that over 590,000 young children nationwide live with elevated lead levels in their blood today.
While that number is alarming, even “one child affected by lead poisoning is too many, and this problem has persisted for far too long,” says Arnold Mikolo, Environmental Justice Advocate at CLF. “Our children deserve to grow up free from this toxic threat.”
One child affected by lead poisoning is too many, and this problem has persisted for far too long. Our children deserve to grow up free from this toxic threat.
– Arnold Mikolo, Environmental Justice Advocate at CLF
We can and must do better. Every child deserves the chance to explore their homes – without parents fearing for their well-being.
A Deeper Dive: New Hampshire’s Crisis
New England’s lead crisis is widespread, but New Hampshire’s situation is particularly dire. A state report released earlier this year detailed a record-breaking 1,142 cases of childhood lead poisoning – a staggering 42% increase from the previous year.
Joan Valk, who spent over a decade as a family support specialist in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, witnessed the tragic impacts of lead poisoning up close. “I saw many children struggle because of lead poisoning,” Valk remembers. “They faced learning delays, speech challenges, and behavioral issues. Their families constantly balanced medical appointments, therapies, and special education meetings while dealing with impulsive behaviors like biting, hitting, and head-banging.”
The devastating effects of lead poisoning don’t always make the news, but in some cases, tragedy forces people to pay attention. In 2000, two-year-old Sunday Abek lost her life to acute lead poisoning in Manchester, New Hampshire. Her blood lead level was 391 micrograms per deciliter – nearly 80 times the safety limit.
The source? The porch of her home, where Sunday regularly played. Lead paint had chipped and crumbled into dust – nearly invisible, yet deeply toxic. Her parents didn’t realize the old paint was releasing hazardous particles into the space where their daughter spent so much time. With its naturally sweet taste, lead paint can be especially hazardous for toddlers who play with curiosity without knowing the dangers around them. What should have been a safe and familiar space became a silent threat – one that no one caught until it was too late.
“Her life was cut short before it truly began,” says Rich DiPentima, the former deputy public health officer who led the investigation into her death. “I’m still haunted by this tragedy because it was completely preventable.”
A Preventable Tragedy
Preventable. That word echoes in every interview, every news story, and every testimony about childhood lead poisoning. But what does preventable really mean?
It means we have the knowledge and tools – at a cost-effective price – to prevent every child from suffering from lead poisoning.
Solutions include full lead inspections for older homes, lead-safe renovation practices, funding for abatement, and strong enforcement of disclosure laws.
And yet, our elected officials and lawmakers haven’t done enough.
“Lead poisoning is not a mystery,” says Heidi Trimarco, a staff attorney at CLF. “We know the cause, we know the solution. So, why are we still failing our children?”
Lead poisoning is not a mystery. We know the cause, we know the solution. So, why are we still failing our children?
– Heidi Trimarco, staff attorney at CLF
Hope on the Horizon
CLF and local advocates have been working for years to tackle the lead crisis in New Hampshire. In 2018, we helped pass a law requiring universal blood testing for 1- and 2-year-olds and regular lead testing in school and daycare drinking water.
At the same time, Claremont’s then-mayor, Charlene Lovett, was leading local efforts to fight lead poisoning in her community – organizing public education campaigns, lead screenings, and trainings in lead-safe renovation practices. Her leadership on the ground later intersected with CLF’s statewide work. Lovett testified before the legislature in support of the 2018 bill, helping rally other city leaders across New Hampshire to back the measure. The law ultimately passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.
Today, Lovett continues her advocacy as a member of CLF’s New Hampshire board.
The dangers of lead poisoning aren’t confined to one city or state – they stretch across New England. While some communities have made progress, others remain stuck in a system that doesn’t do enough to protect families – one where homes aren’t inspected, landlords aren’t held accountable, and old hazards go unnoticed until it’s too late.
In 2025, New Hampshire lawmakers had the opportunity to take action with HB 724, a bill that would have expanded home inspections, ensured safer renovations, and raised awareness among tenants. But they failed to act – even after that devastating state report showing the drastic increase in cases.
“This bill was a no-brainer—common-sense protections, no cost to the state, and life-changing benefits for kids,” Trimarco says. “New Hampshire hit a record for lead poisoning, and instead of working to end this crisis, lawmakers chose to walk away.”
At the city level, action is just as critical. Manchester has taken steps in the right direction. In 2024, thanks in part to the advocacy of CLF’s environmental justice advocate Arnold Mikolo, the city established a Lead Exposure Prevention Commission, bringing together local officials and advocates to tackle the problem head-on. Mikolo, who now serves on the commission, emphasized the stakes:
“Manchester has a lead crisis, but we have the power to fix it. This isn’t just about housing – it’s about public health, equity, and justice.”
Zooming out further, lead isn’t just a threat on the walls – it can also pose a threat to our drinking water. That’s why, in recent years, New Hampshire passed a law to test and replace lead pipes in schools and daycares.
And, at the national level, the Biden administration committed to replacing all lead pipes within the next decade – affecting nearly 10 million homes. But that promise is now at risk – more than 20 CDC experts focused on lead poisoning and related fields have been laid off, and lead pipe replacement funds are stalled, putting children’s health at serious risk.
A Call to Action
I’ve since moved away from that Dorchester triple-decker, but many families don’t have that choice. They’re still living with an invisible threat – unaware that their pregnancies might be riskier, their children’s struggles might stem from a silent toxin, or their persistent headaches could signal something more dangerous than stress.
We know the danger. We know the solutions. Now is the time to act.
- Call your state legislators and urge them to support stronger lead exposure prevention laws.
- If you rent, ask your landlord if your home has been tested for lead hazards.
- If you own property built before 1978, inspect it and ensure renovations follow lead-safe practices.
- Push for more funding to remove lead from homes, schools, and water systems.
The past is already set. The future? That’s still ours to paint.