The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded $7.8 million, including $2.3 million to local organizations, to research the cost effectiveness of home-based interventions for children with asthma and novel strategies for reducing risks from lead-contaminated soil and house dust.

The Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health has received $949,071; Harvard College was given a grant totaling $942,788 and the Univ. of Massachusetts, Lowell will receive $424,986.

The grants will benefit 14 projects nationwide covering nine states. For the first time, HUD is awarding $2 million of those grants to improve indoor environmental conditions and links to education and medical services for asthmatic children and other residents living in public and assisted multifamily housing.

"Homes with lead or other health hazards can injure children and worsen conditions such as asthma and HUD wants to ensure that children have a healthy place to call home," said Jon Gant, director of HUD’s Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control. "These grants will not only help to clean up lead and other home health hazards but will support the development of innovative new approaches to improve and control asthma in children."