About 55,000 homes in Jackson were built when lead was still used in paints, according to a city official, putting as many as 15,000 children at risk of lead poisoning if that paint chips or peels.

The federal government awarded Jackson $1.8 million, announced Monday, as part of a nationwide grant program — enough money to fix about 78 of those homes.

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson joined Gov. Phil Bryant for a press conference Monday in the backyard of a north Jackson home.

The single-story home had recently undergone lead remediation as part of an earlier round of federal funding.

"This is one of the problems that we actually have the ability to solve in this country. Tremendous progress has been made already," Carson told reporters. "And it's an issue that affects almost all the buildings and homes that were built before 1978."

Carson, who worked as a brain surgeon before turning to politics, talked about the dangerous of lead poisoning on the developing brains of children.

2016 coverage:$1.2 million for Jackson to combat lead-based paint

Why it matters:Study: Mississippi children see highest lead level increase

"As a neuroscientist, it's something that's been particularly important to me," he said. "I have seen so many children who have been adversely affected by it."

The $1.8 million grant for Jackson was part of $314 million in federal funds for lead remediation program throughout the country, which Carson said was a "substantial increase" from past years.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development issued $139 million in money for lead remediation last year, according to a 2018 press release.

"And this is with a stingy group of people who don't wanna use money," Carson said. "But we've realized this is something that we can really have an impact in."

Mary Manogin, who heads the Lead Safe Jackson Housing Program, said workers removed lead-based paint where the press conference was held as part of a $1.3 million federal grant that the city received a few years ago.

The woman who lives there is an older woman whose great grandchild often stops by to visit. Manogin said they are conducting research to target homes where young children are present.

"We are willing to remediate as many houses as we can. These are all estimates. If we're able to do more with our funding, we will absolutely do more," Manogin said. "... if it becomes an issue of possibly running out of funding, we will do what we can to apply for more funding. Our goal is to help as many families as we can."

Jackson residents interested in applying for the lead remediation programs can call the city at 601-960-1861 for information or visit www.jacksonms.gov/index.aspx?NID=770.

Contact Giacomo "Jack" Bologna at 601-961-7282 or gbologna@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @gbolognaCL.