The general assembly finds and declares that:

(1)  Rhode Island’s rental housing stock is older and lead hazards are widespread;

(2)  There has been an insufficient level of lead hazard abatement in Rhode Island’s rental housing stock;

(3)  Children in Rhode Island, especially in older urban communities, have been victims of lead poisoning at disproportionately high rates;

(4)  During the 1990’s meeting department of health lead hazard abatement standards has ranged between seven thousand dollars ($7,000) and fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) per unit;

(5)  The combination of the high cost of meeting the abatement standards and the system of incentives available for rental property owners in Rhode Island resulted in few properties being improved to state standards as a consequence of voluntary activity by property owners; and

(6)  The US Department of Housing and Urban Development has promulgated regulations for lead hazard control that apply to housing that is federally assisted and require inspections with dust testing.