At Wednesday’s meeting of the Arcadia Neighborhood Association, Yvonne Wright from Kalamazoo’s Code Administration Division stopped by to drop off some info on requesting city services. She also left info on a program that provides state money to help solve lead paint problems.
Governments run on a paper trail, so if you have a downed tree, water problems or spotted a car-eating pothole, a phone call is good, but emailing a pdf it better! On our City Services page is a link to the standard form for requesting a service. There is also info on where to email it. The City also has a web page with every form for every possible interaction you might have with the city!
In 1978, lead was removed from all paint, but since a majority of the homes in our lovely neighborhood we built before then, it’s almost a certainty that lead lurks under your current shade of “Sunset Yellow” in the kitchen. This isn’t a problem as long as it’s not peeling or disturbed, but if you have any planned renovations that involve ripping down walls, you should visit the EPA’s page on how to manage the lead dust. Regardless of whether you own or rent, if you meet certain criteria, the state of Michigan may be able to provide assistance of up to $8000 to remove the lead based paint. Download this PDF for info.