Scranton, PA Building Safety: Lead Paint (2026)

Three regulatory layers govern lead paint in Scranton. (1) Federal - the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act (Title X, 42 U.S.C. Sections 4851 et seq.) and EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR Part 745) require lead-safe certified renovators for any disturbance of more than 6 square feet interior or 20 square feet exterior of painted surface in pre-1978 housing or child-occupied facilities. Lead disclosure under 24 CFR Part 35 (the Lead Disclosure Rule) is mandatory in any sale or lease of pre-1978 housing, and the seller/landlord must provide the EPA pamphlet 'Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home' and a Lead Warning Statement. (2) State - the Pennsylvania Lead Certification Act of 1995 (35 P.S. Sections 5901 et seq.) requires lead inspectors, risk assessors, and abatement contractors to be Pennsylvania-certified, and the Pennsylvania Department of Health operates the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program with reporting at 10 micrograms/deciliter. (3) Local - Scranton's Chapter 373 (Rental Property) requires every residential rental unit to pass a regular health and safety inspection, and Code Officials may identify deteriorated paint as a violation during those bi-annual inspections. Scranton is a high-priority lead jurisdiction because the majority of its housing stock predates 1950 and contains lead-based paint. The Department of Licensing, Inspections and Permits (LIPS) coordinates lead-related rental inspections through Chapter 373, and the City has periodically received HUD Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration Grant funding to support abatement in qualifying owner-occupied and rental units.