MCG’s website is aware of the lead issue and suggests gardens not be immediately adjacent to houses to reduce paint contamination, recommends soil testing, and suggests planting in a raised bed (filled with clean soil, of course) as a way of dodging the whole problem if the existing soil is unacceptable.
What they don’t answer is how much area, getting how much sunlight, is even worth discussing. The only part of my back yard that gets significant amounts of direct sunlight is the end toward the house. That resulted in my growing tomatoes closer to the house than I would have preferred (and giving up a bit of lawn to do so).
I’ll also note that the topsoil around newer construction/renovation is not always very local in origin.
