PRP.7.10.040 Methamphetamine (Meth) Use in Units

(a) Methamphetamine Testing Standard. The Housing Authority, in an effort to protect the public health, safety and welfare of our communities is hereby adopting specific cleanup standards for units contaminated by methamphetamine (meth) use in properties owned and managed by the Housing Authority.

(1) The Housing Authority hereby determines that a heightened safety concern exists when any test result is positive for methamphetamine (meth), and a severe safety concern exists when any test is positive for methamphetamine (meth) and the residue concentration of 1.5 ug/100 cm2 or higher.

(b) Methamphetamine Cleanup and Remediation. The Housing Authority has determined a standard of cleanup and remediation processes is necessary once any level of meth contamination has been established. The following guidelines shall be used to determine the level of contamination and the method used to provide cleanup and decontamination of each unit determined to have meth contamination from use. The Housing Authority Maintenance staff, after receiving a vacancy notice from the Occupancy Department, shall perform the following steps to determine the method of cleanup to ready the unit for the next occupant.

(1) A Meth Media Testing Kit (Wipe Test) will be done on each vacant unit to determine if meth is present and to determine what level of meth is present in the unit.

(2) The Housing Authority will use the following guidelines to ready the unit for the next occupant:

(A) Samples will be taken utilizing a Wipe Test and sent to an authorized laboratory to determine the level of contamination.

(B) For units where the test results come back with a reading of less than 1.5ug/100cm2, cleanup shall be completed internally by the Housing Authority. Once cleanup is completed, the unit shall be processed for move-out repairs and general clean-up. These units may be bid out to contractors utilizing the Housing Authority bid process depending on the amount and type of repairs to be done.

(C) For units where the test results come back with a reading of 1.5 ug/100cm2 or above, cleanup shall be completed by a qualified remediation contractor. A Qualified Contractor will consist of a contractor who has hazardous waste expertise and is certified to conduct clean-up operations in a meth contaminated condition. Contractors who have not been certified in a similar program should, at minimum, complete the 40-hour HAZWOPER training (OSHA 29 CFR § 1910.120). The contractors will need to provide the Housing Authority with documentation of completion for each employee who will be doing meth remediation. A Clearance test will be performed by a third-party test to insure the unit has been cleaned to at or below the Housing Authority set standard. The Housing Authority will pay for the first clearance test, if this test fails the Housing Authority will pay half the cost of the second test and the qualified contractor will be responsible to cover the other half of the testing cost. If the second test were to fail then the contractor will be responsible to cover all cost associated with the third test and any other testing after that. The Housing Authority shall hold $1500.00 from each remediation contract to cover the cost of testing until the unit passes a clearance test. Cleanup pertaining to these units shall have a scope of work established by the Housing Authority Inspector. This may require removal of all woodwork, any porous material, all affected cabinets and countertops, replace appliances and any other area as determined by the inspector and as written in the scope of work.