HomeMy WebLinkAboutIV.A.4 - Radon Mitigation Grant Program
Proposed Project: Dakota County Homeowner Radon Testing and Mitigation Grant Program
Project
Purpose:
The average radon level in Minnesota is more than three times higher than the
U.S. radon level. This is due to our geology and how our homes operate.
Minnesota homes are closed up or heated most of the year, which can result in higher levels of radon. In Minnesota, more than two in five homes have radon levels that pose a significant health risk. Exposure to radon over a prolonged period can lead to lung cancer. Minnesota Department of Health website
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set the action level at 4 pCi/L (picocuries of radon per liter of air). The Minnesota Department of Health
recommends installing a radon mitigation system when the radon level is at 4
pCi/L or higher. Between 2 and 4 pCi/L, a radon mitigation system should be considered to lower the level as much as possible. The average indoor radon level in Dakota County is 3.6 pCi/L as determined by radon test results from AirChek, an at-home radon testing company. There is no safe level of radon in
a home.
The proposed Homeowner Radon Testing and Mitigation Grant program would provide free testing services to clients of the Home Improvement Loan Program and would provide free mitigation services for those residents whose
homes have radon levels greater than 2.6 pCi/L. A lower radon level was
chosen as the benchmark in order to reduce radon levels in existing homes as much as possible. The Radon Grant Program will be paired with the CDA’s Home Improvement
Loan Program. Homeowners in the Home Improvement Loan Program have
incomes at or below 80% of Area Median Income. By pairing a Radon grant with a Home Improvement Loan, homeowners can stretch their loans to cover more items that need improvement.
Project Objectives:
• Continue to improve the housing stock of Dakota County.
• Reduce potential future risk of lung cancers in Dakota County residents.
• Provide cities with a way to use Local Affordable Housing Aid (LAHA).
Project Outcomes:
• Test at least 50 homes in Dakota County for radon per year. The homes will be those of clients in the Home Improvement Loan Program.
• Install radon mitigation systems in all homes assessed for radon with levels greater than 2.6 pCi/L per year, subject to available funding.
• Reduce the number of homes with high radon levels. Mitigation systems
would be required to reduce radon to < 2.0 pCi/L.
Project Details: • Provide grants to clients of the Home Improvement Loan Program to test for
and mitigate radon when levels are 2.6 pCi/L or greater.
• Homeowners must own and reside in home, be current on property taxes,
and be income eligible.
o CDBG funds require 80% AMI cap
o Sales tax funds require 115% AMI cap
• Homeowners would need to sign a grant agreement if they are recipients.
• Homeowners will solicit bids from two licensed mitigators; CDA will evaluate bids for cost reasonableness.
• CDA will pay mitigators upon completion of project and satisfactory
clearance test numbers (< 2.0).
Project
Funding:
• Funding exclusively through LAHA funds.
• Estimate program would need $200,000 per year to assess for and install radon mitigation systems in at least 50 homes per year.
• LAHA funds would be placed in individual city accounts at the CDA and will be spent within the four-year spending deadline.
• The individual city accounts will be tracked by the CDA.
Project Staff:
• The Radon Mitigation Grant program would use existing Home Improvement Loan Program staff and the additional Home Improvement Loan Program
staff that will be hired to deploy LAHA funds.
Project Reporting:
The CDA would provide annual reports to participating cities and Dakota
County. The annual report would include the following:
o Community’s contribution to program that fiscal year. o Number of grants using LAHA funds. o Amount spent per year.