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Guide

Lead Paint Removal Grants and Financial Help in Syracuse and Onondaga County

Published by Onondaga Lead Services Updated August 11, 2026

This guide is general information, not legal or medical advice. Lead rules depend on your specific property and situation. Confirm details with the linked government sources, and rely on a licensed contractor or attorney for advice about your case.

Public and nonprofit programs in Syracuse and Onondaga County may be offered to help with lead inspection and lead paint removal, for income-eligible homeowners and for landlords. The same programs often cover the work behind the new state Lead-Safe Certificate. This guide names the main programs and links each one, so you can check current amounts, eligibility, and how to apply at the source. It is general information, not a promise of funding; each program sets its own rules and decides eligibility.

The main lead grant programs

These are the programs most Syracuse-area property owners ask about. Some of this help is a grant and some is a loan you repay, so check which one you are applying for. We do not publish amounts, income limits, or application deadlines, because they change and the body that runs the program owns them. Each program name below links to its own page, which is the current source.

Program Who it is for What it can cover
Syracuse Landlord Window & Door Replacement Program Home HeadQuarters Landlords with rental property in eligible city of Syracuse ZIP codes Replacing windows and exterior doors where lead paint is chipping
Syracuse Lead Grant Program City of Syracuse, Department of Neighborhood and Business Development City property owners, landlords, and tenants who qualify Lead-safe repairs such as windows, doors, siding, and porch work
HUD Lead Hazard Reduction Grant Program Listed by Onondaga County, HUD requirements apply Owners and renters of pre-1978 property who meet the income guidelines, with a young child living at or often visiting Repairs that reduce lead hazards in older homes and rental properties
Windows, Doors, and More Program Onondaga County Health Department Owners of properties with two or more living units in eligible county ZIP codes, after a Health Department inspection Replacing or repairing windows, doors, and other surfaces
LeadSafeCNY Central New York families, funded through local partners Local lead work funded by the Central New York Community Foundation and its partners

Program pages, where you confirm current amounts, income limits, and how to apply:

Who typically qualifies

Eligibility rules differ by program and change, so the program page is where you confirm them. A few patterns are common:

  • An income limit set by the program, usually based on area median income.
  • For several programs, a young child who lives in or regularly visits the home.
  • The property being in an eligible part of the city or county.
  • Both owner-occupants and landlords can qualify, depending on the program.

Because these rules change and each program applies its own, the only reliable way to know is to check the program page above or contact the program directly. This page is a starting point, not a determination of your eligibility.

How grants connect to the 2026 rental registry deadline

Landlords in covered Syracuse areas must have their property inspected and obtain a Lead-Safe Certificate under the New York Lead Rental Registry, with the first certificates due by October 1, 2026. The inspection and any lead-safe repairs behind that certificate are the kind of work these programs fund, so a requirement may become a funded project. If you are a landlord, read our guide to NY lead paint laws for landlords and our rental property lead compliance page for the deadlines and what the inspection involves.

Program terms change, so check the source

Lead funding in Central New York comes from federal, county, city, and nonprofit sources, including LeadSafeCNY through the Central New York Community Foundation. Each source sets its own amounts, income limits, and application windows, and those change. We do not republish them here, because a number that is right today is wrong the day a funding round closes. Check the program page, linked above, before you plan around any program, and check again if it has been a while since you looked.

How to start

A lead inspection or risk assessment is usually the first step, because it produces the documentation a program asks for. Onondaga Lead Services can connect you with a licensed, EPA-certified contractor for a lead paint inspection or risk assessment. To apply for funding, start with the program pages above or contact the Onondaga County Health Department lead program. We connect you with a contractor for the work; the program decides the funding.

Ready for the next step?

Frequently asked questions

Are there grants to remove lead paint in Syracuse?

Help that may be offered for lead inspection and lead paint removal here includes the Syracuse Landlord Window & Door Replacement Program from Home HeadQuarters, the City of Syracuse Lead Grant Program, and the HUD Lead Hazard Reduction Grant Program and Windows, Doors, and More Program listed by Onondaga County. Some of it is a grant and some is a loan. Amounts and eligibility change, so each program page is the current source. This guide links to each one.

How much can a lead grant pay?

We do not publish amounts. Each program sets its own amounts, income limits, and application windows, and they change. The administering agency page is the only current source, and this guide links to each one.

Do I have to repay a lead grant?

It depends on the program, and both are on offer locally. The Home HeadQuarters rental page is titled "Rental Property Loans and Grants" and lists loan products you repay with interest. The Onondaga County page heads its section "Grants and Loans for Home Repair". Funding that is called a grant can still carry conditions, such as holding on to the property for a set period or a lien on it. Read the current terms on the program page before you apply.

I am a landlord facing the Lead-Safe Certificate deadline. Can a grant pay for it?

It may. The inspection and the lead-safe repairs behind a New York Lead-Safe Certificate are the kind of work these programs fund, so a cost you are required to take on may be offset. Eligibility depends on income, the property, and the program, so confirm with the program that administers it.

Who decides if I qualify?

The program that administers the grant decides, based on your income, your property, and your household. Onondaga Lead Services is a marketing service. We do not administer grants and do not determine eligibility. We can connect you with a licensed contractor for the inspection or work that a grant may fund.

What will a lead grant typically pay for?

Depending on the program, funding may cover a lead inspection or risk assessment, lead-safe repairs, window and door replacement, siding and porch work, and abatement of identified hazards. The program you apply to sets the eligible scope, and its own page has the current rules.

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