While Flint, Michigan's lead crisis has been making national headlines, in Cleveland this has been a major issue for years and now city council members are searching for answers and seeking accountability.
At their third meeting on this topic, city health officials gave an update on cases from the past 2 years which involved more than 340 homes which reportedly have been lead poisoned.
They have confirmed now that investigators in the past have closed more than a hundred of those homes, but the problem is people could still move into those vacant units at any time.
This is why several council members stressed the need and importance of code enforcement being a major priority this year.
City Councilmember Mike Polensek was one that really got passionate on the matter.
“There is a lack of enforcement. There was only one inspector working on lead abatement issues, get real. I mean if we’re going to set the tone in this city that you have to maintain your property and you have to address these issues, then we need to have people out on the street, we need to have more inspectors.”
Health officials said they’re considering a zoning type system that would find the problematic hot spots and allow them to attack those first. No word yet on if or when this system will be implemented.
