Frequently Asked Questions

Effectively addressing lead paint in a home is a serious matter that is a top priority for the Newport Restoration Foundation (NRF). Exposure to lead-paint dust or peeling paint chips can pose a health hazard, especially to children and pregnant women. Children can be exposed if they chew on surfaces coated with lead-based paint, such as windowsills or doorframes, or if they breathe in lead dust. Given the risks, NRF has established a Lead Paint Task Force and has put together an action plan to assess the organization’s Preservation Properties. We will then take any necessary actions.

The Newport Restoration Foundation owns 70 rental buildings that were originally built between the late-17th and mid-19th centuries—well before lead paint regulations were introduced by the federal government in 1978.

Most of the houses were restored in the 1970s and 1980s, a process which included a combination of paint removal and the recreation of architectural features. During these restorations, some NRF properties were required by the City’s Redevelopment Agency to eliminate lead-based paint hazards.

As such, there are varying levels of lead paint in NRF’s rental properties. If lead paint is found, it is most commonly confined to the homes’ historic wooden features, including trimwork, window frames, mantels, and doors.

The Rhode Island Lead Hazard Mitigation Law of 2002 requires owners of rental properties built before 1978 to have a Certificate of Lead Conformance (CLC). Historic properties are not exempt from this requirement. In 2023, state lead paint laws were expanded to include a registry of rental properties with lead paint.

Since this issue is a top priority for NRF, we created a dedicated staff task force to invest significant time, resources, and expertise to bring NRF homes into compliance with lead-based paint laws. The Lead Paint Task Force is how we organize our work towards lead compliance as an organization and with our non-profit, municipal, and statewide preservation partners to address this issue in a safe, effective, and timely way.

Testing for lead paint is the first step. By partnering with a certified Rhode Island lead inspector, we plan to test at least six homes per year.

From there, our team of in-house craftspeople who specialize in historic preservation will make any repairs that need to be made in order to certify the home as Lead-Safe. For larger-scale repairs we will hire contractors with the appropriate experience and expertise, if necessary.

Given the health effects that lead exposure can have on children, we are prioritizing the six rental properties in our portfolio where children live or visit seasonally. We are also prioritizing testing for residents who have specific concerns about the possibility of lead exposure.

63 of our 70 rental properties are located within either a local or nationally recognized historic district. NRF is working with the City of Newport and nationally-recognized preservation consultants to address and mitigate lead paint while ensuring the preservation of historic fabric.

Lead testing focuses on building features, including full exteriors and interiors, with a particular focus on painted features that produce “friction points,” such as windows, doors and thresholds, floors, and trim work. Intact, well-maintained painted surfaces are considered Lead-Safe.

When it is time for a NRF property to be inspected, a staff member will be in touch with the tenant-steward to schedule an appointment. A certified Rhode Island lead inspector will come to the property and test for lead on the interior and exterior.

If the property passes the test, it will receive a Certificate of Conformance and be registered with the state as lead compliant. If the property fails the test, our team will begin the necessary repairs, which could include small paint touchups throughout the house and sanding, painting, and/or adapting windows.