Allentown, PA Building Safety: Lead Paint (2026)
Key Facts
- Chapter
- Code § 364 (Lead Poisoning Prevention)
- Elevated blood lead trigger
- 10 mcg/dL confirmed venous sample
- Inspection trigger
- Child under 6 with 20 mcg/dL reading
- Violation threshold
- 1.0 mg/cm2 XRF or 0.5% by weight
- Physician reporting deadline
- 7 calendar/3 working days at 15 mcg/dL
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine or 90 days jail
- Variance deadline
- 7 days to Board of Health hearing
Summary
Allentown's Bureau of Health can enter and test any dwelling for lead paint on probable cause, and must post a warning notice on any unit found to have a lead source health hazard. Owners face a written violation notice, mandatory lead hazard reduction work, and a stop-work order for noncompliance under Chapter 364.
The Bureau shall report the findings of a lead source health hazard immediately to all occupants of the affected dwelling unit(s) and to the owner and/or operator of the building as soon as possible. The Bureau shall cause to have prominently posted on all entrances to the said dwelling unit(s) a notice as follows: THIS DWELLING UNIT CONTAINS DANGEROUS AMOUNTS OF LEAD PAINT AND IS UNFIT FOR HABITATION BY PREGNANT WOMEN AND CHILDREN UNDER SIX YEARS OF AGE. SUCH NOTICE SHALL NOT BE REMOVED WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF THE BUREAU. A REPORT OF THE FINDINGS SHALL BE GIVEN TO OTHER PERSONS OR AGENCIES AS REQUIRED BY LAW.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4995055; v49 updated 2026-06-26; through 06-26-2026).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 364, Lead Poisoning Prevention and Control, adopted by Ordinance No. 13256 in 1994, lets the Allentown Bureau of Health inspect a dwelling whenever it has probable cause, including a reported blood lead level of 20 mcg/dL or more in a child under six who lives at or frequently visits the property, a prior violation there, or a scheduled area inspection program (§ 364-2). 5% lead by weight is automatically a violation (§ 364-3). Physicians, other health providers and private labs must report any confirmed blood lead level of 15 mcg/dL or higher to the Bureau within seven calendar days, or three working days of identification (§ 364-7).
Once the Bureau finds a hazard, it must post the dwelling's entrances with a notice reading the unit contains dangerous amounts of lead paint and is unfit for habitation by pregnant women and children under six, and it sends the owner a written notice of violation by certified mail (§ 364-5, § 364-8). The owner must complete lead hazard reduction work on the Bureau's timeline; continuing to work after a stop-work order is issued is a separate violation (§ 364-8B). Owners cannot evict occupants to dodge the required corrective work, and a hazard-flagged unit that is vacated stays off-limits until the Bureau certifies it lead-safe (§ 364-10). An owner who disagrees can request a hearing before the Allentown Board of Health within seven days of the order (§ 364-11).
Violations & Fines
Violating any provision of Chapter 364, including ignoring a lead hazard reduction order or a stop-work order, is punishable upon conviction by a fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment of not more than 90 days, or both; each day a violation continues is a separate offense (§ 364-15). The City can also correct the hazard itself using City staff or a contractor and bill the property owner, placing a lien for any unpaid cost (§ 364-13).
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Allentown
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