Wayne State University has been awarded nearly $700,000 in federal funding to study protecting children from lead exposure in their homes, officials said.

The grant is part of $9.4 million the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has given to 13 universities to research ways to reduce housing-related health hazards, such as pests, injury hazards and asthma triggers.

“We remain committed to improving the health and wellbeing of all Americans, especially children, by creating safer and healthier homes,” HUD Secretary Ben Carson said Wednesday in a statement. “This research will inform HUD and our partners in our efforts to protect families and eliminate housing-related health and safety hazards.”

HUD officials said WSU will be given $699,171 to partner with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, CLEARCorps Detroit and the Detroit Health Department to study the cost effectiveness of protecting children from lead exposure through improved temporary emergency relocations and new permanent voluntary relocations.

The goal of the study is to establish whether the policies are effective in reducing blood lead levels in children and then to compare the costs of relocation to the costs of current approaches.

cramirez@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @CharlesERamirez