Lead Paint Removal in Menlo Park

Menlo Park’s mix of apartment buildings, rentals and houses from before 1978 can share one starting point: a certified inspection. Redwood City Lead Paint Removal offers lead paint removal, abatement, testing, inspection and encapsulation there, and the inspection result decides whether paint is removed, sealed or left alone under lead-safe rules.

Menlo Park mixes houses and rentals. By the 2020-2024 ACS, 70.3% of homes date to before 1980, 44.3% to before 1960 and 21.1% to before 1950, with 46% of households renting. Roughly 28% of homes are in multi-unit buildings of five or more. The zoning code has landmark chapters for designated sites.

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Two-story apartment building with painted wood siding, wood-framed windows and an exterior stair, two clipped trees in the front yard

An example project

Lead test of a house used for family child care

Example project

Home: 1950s single-story house in Menlo Park, used for family child care
Original request: Know what the toddlers can reach, in the playroom and in the yard
Testing: Readings on the window sills, door casings, baseboards and cabinets; dust wipes in the playroom, entry and kitchen; soil along the fence and under the eaves
Found: Lead paint on the window sills and door casings; dust on the playroom sills; lead in the soil under the eaves
Report: A written risk assessment with what to fix first
Estimated cost: $1,100

In this example, a family child care provider in a 1950s Menlo Park house wants to know what the toddlers can reach before she takes more children. Her playroom has painted window sills at crawling height, and the yard drips from old eaves.

See the full example and more projects

Lead paint services

Rentals and small apartment buildings

Menlo Park has a large renter population (46% of households), so lease-time paperwork matters. Pre-1978 units need the federal disclosure; paid repainting at turnover is EPA renovation work. Rental property lead paint work has the details.

Landmark and historic-site properties

Menlo Park’s zoning code has a Historic Site District chapter for designated landmark sites. Designation under chapter 16.54 is by resolution or application, with a Planning Commission hearing. What review a project on a designated site needs depends on the property, so confirm with the city before planning work.

Inspection and testing

A risk assessment suits a small apartment building in Menlo Park, since it ranks units by the hazards present now. Testing is done by a CDPH-certified Inspector/Assessor (a Project Monitor may handle clearance alone). The report is explained on lead paint inspection and testing.

Removal and abatement

After CDPH Form 8551 reaches the state, five or more days ahead, and is posted, certified Supervisors and Workers can carry out permanent abatement in Menlo Park. Residents of adjoining dwellings get written notice, which in a building with shared walls means more households than around a detached house.

Window and door work

Windows in a pre-1978 building: replacement is EPA renovation work at any size. A city permit or review may also apply depending on the property, so ask Menlo Park Community Development. Lead paint window and door work covers the lead side.

Historic sites and older housing in Menlo Park

The zoning code has a Historic Site District chapter (16.54) that applies to designated landmark sites, not to the whole city. Confirm with the city whether a property is designated.

Landmark review

Designation is by resolution or application, with a Planning Commission hearing. Owners of a designated property should confirm with the city what review applies before planning exterior changes, including paint removal.

Rental housing

State Housing Law, the federal disclosure rule and the EPA renovation rule apply to rentals here as everywhere in California.

Census Reporter: Menlo Park housing (ACS 2020-2024)CDPH: real estate lead disclosure

Old divided-light wood windows with flaking paint on the sills and sashes, set in wood shingle siding

Frequently asked questions

Does Menlo Park have historic review for exterior work?

For designated landmark sites, a zoning chapter (16.54) applies. For a house that is not designated, ask the Planning Division which rules apply to yours, and confirm with the city before planning exterior work.

Do Menlo Park landlords have to disclose lead paint?

Yes, with limits. The duty covers buildings from before 1978 and arrives with every new or renewed lease: pamphlet, Lead Warning Statement and known lead information. A certified inspector’s lead-free finding, a lease of 100 days or less and a unit without a bedroom each exempt a unit.

Can I repaint an older Menlo Park house myself?

An owner may do work on their own home. Certification rules attach to paid work, so a hired painter prepping a pre-1978 house falls under the EPA renovation rule. Scraping and sanding are what raise lead dust, so a test first is sensible, and we do not give do-it-yourself removal steps.

Our San Carlos page covers the older, mostly owner-occupied houses.

Request a free lead paint removal quote

Property, age, units, landmark status and troubled surfaces: send what you know. We'll get back to you soon with an estimate or any questions we have. Estimates are free and there's no obligation.

Call (650) 649-4986