Attorney General James Funds New Syracuse Lead Freedom House

June 16, 2026

NEW YORK - New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced that the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) will provide $110,000 to support the Syracuse Lead Freedom House, a first-of-its-kind lead-safe temporary housing facility that will provide safe shelter and support for families displaced by lead hazard abatement in their homes or whose child needs lead-safe housing while being treated for lead poisoning. Attorney General James announced the funding at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new home, which was developed by A Tiny Home for Good and will be operated in partnership with Families for Lead Freedom Now, with support from Legal Services of Central New York.

"We cannot leave families to fight lead poisoning alone," said Attorney General James. "The Syracuse Lead Freedom House will give families a safe place to stay while their homes are made safer and their children recover. I am proud to help make this innovative project possible and support the exceptional local organizations working every day to protect children and families from lead poisoning."

The Syracuse Lead Freedom House, located at 1216 South Avenue, is a newly renovated, lead-safe home with two three-bedroom units. A Tiny Home for Good rebuilt the house from the ground up to be lead-safe, including the replacement of water service lines made of lead. The Freedom House will provide fully furnished, rent-free temporary housing for families whose homes are undergoing lead hazard abatement or whose children require a lead-safe environment during treatment for lead poisoning. Families staying at the house will also receive case management and supportive services to help them access health care, education, transportation, and other resources.

Attorney General James is providing $110,000 to operate the house for three years using funds from OAG's January 2026 settlement with Dollar Tree for allowing unsafe, lead-contaminated children's food to be sold at dozens of its New York stores for days following a nationwide recall. Under the settlement, Dollar Tree paid $559,250 to support lead-poisoning prevention and response programs and to improve access to healthy, affordable food in underserved communities.

Families for Lead Freedom Now will help identify families in need of temporary lead-safe housing, prioritizing families with children who are being treated for lead poisoning. The group will also provide additional support to families, including education on healthy nutrition and lead-safe home maintenance practices, and assistance with the family's interactions with health departments and other government agencies. A Tiny Home for Good will provide case management for families staying at the house, including help coordinating health care appointments, school needs, transportation, and other services. Legal Services of Central New York will support the project by helping ensure families' rights are protected while their homes are undergoing lead hazard abatement.

Lead poisoning remains a serious public health challenge in Syracuse. More than 80 percent of the city's housing stock was built before lead-based paint was banned, and children in Syracuse account for the vast majority of elevated blood lead cases in Onondaga County. In 2024 alone, 520 children in the county had elevated blood lead levels, and 90 percent of those children lived in Syracuse.

Attorney General James was joined at today's ribbon-cutting ceremony by State Senator Rachel May, Syracuse Mayor Sharon Owens, Andrew Lunetta, founder of A Tiny Home for Good, Oceanna Fair, Chair of Families for Lead Freedom Now, and community members.

"No family should be left without a safe place to stay while their home undergoes lead remediation," said Senator May. "The Lead Freedom House is providing families with that support, offering a comfortable place to live until it's safe to return home. I'm proud to have secured funding for renovations to the original home, and thanks to additional support from Attorney General James, this resource will continue serving Central New York families for years to come."

"Attorney General James' support is making it possible for Syracuse families to find safety and stability when they need it most," said Syracuse Mayor Sharon Owens. "Too many families in Syracuse face the impossible choice of remaining in unsafe homes or being displaced during essential lead abatement. This funding ensures that parents no longer have to navigate that crisis alone and allows us to keep families together, support children in their recovery, and reduce the strain that lead hazards place on our neighborhoods. We are grateful for the Attorney General and our State partners for their leadership and dedication to building a healthier, safer future for all our families."

"Today marks a major milestone for both Families for Lead Freedom Now and A Tiny Home for Good," said Oceanna Fair, Chair of Families for Lead Freedom Now. "The Lead Freedom House represents more than a building-it is a safe, healthy home where families can stay while their units undergo lead remediation. By removing one of the biggest obstacles to getting this work done, we are making it possible for children to return to homes that are truly safe. This is what partnership, community, and accountability look like in action."

"We have provided permanent housing for individuals and families facing homelessness for the last ten years. We've remained hyper-focused on that mission. However, few issues are more insidious to our community than the prevalence of lead poisoning in our children," said Andrew Lunetta, Executive Director of A Tiny Home for Good. "I am proud to deviate slightly from our mission to support Families for Lead Freedom Now and Attorney General James in their effort to eradicate lead paint poisoning among our children. It is that important."

This is the latest in Attorney General James' efforts to address childhood lead poisoning in New York. In April 2026, Attorney General James announced a settlement with Syracuse landlords Brian A. Murphy and Harry Murphy following an investigation into dangerous lead hazards and unsafe living conditions throughout their rental properties. In September 2025, Attorney General James secured $515,000 from Buffalo landlord Farhad Raiszadeh for repeated violations of lead paint laws. In December 2024, Attorney General James secured $6.5 million from Lilmor Management, one of New York City's worst landlords, for persistent violations of lead paint, mold, and housing maintenance laws. In March 2024, Attorney General James reached a $175,000 settlement with Syracuse landlord Todd Hobbs for failing to address lead-based paint hazards at his rental properties, where most tenants were low-income families. In February 2024, Attorney General James reached a $310,000 settlement with Syracuse landlord William D'Angelo for repeated and persistent violations of lead safety laws at 22 rental properties. In June 2022, Attorney General James shut down Syracuse landlord John Kiggins and his company, Endzone Properties, Inc., for repeatedly violating lead paint laws and failing to address lead paint hazards, which resulted in the lead poisoning of 18 children living in Endzone properties in Syracuse.

This matter was handled for Attorney General James by Policy Advisor Peter C. Washburn, under the supervision of Environmental Protection Bureau Chief Lemuel M. Srolovic. The Environmental Protection Bureau is a part of the Division for Social Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Meghan Faux and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.