CLEVELAND — Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb announced a first-of-its-kind legal action against 50 Cleveland property owners who have failed to comply with city lead-safe regulations at their homes.
David Roberts, Cleveland Chief Assistant of Law for Code Enforcement, told News 5 that the 50 property owners were issued 75 first-degree misdemeanor charges after it was determined a child at their property had been lead poisoned.
“The pediatrician tells the state, the state tells us, and we send someone out to find out where that child is getting lead poisoned from, and then we do what’s called a lead hazard control order," Roberts said. “These prosecutions are for owners who did not comply with the lead hazard control order, and we’re letting them know it’s not optional.”
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Cleveland mothers Tiffany Adkins and Mallory Jones told News 5 they're pleased with the increased city enforcement but hope the city will also start point-of-sale lead inspections before a property can be sold and changes hands.
“It should be prevented more definitely; the law should be buckled down on the landlords to the people that are in charge of their regulations," Adkins said. “You’ve got all these abandoned houses in Cleveland and lead paint and landlords going in these abandoned houses and try and fix them up.”
Dr. David Margolius, Cleveland Director of Public Health, told News 5 that only 50% of Cleveland children are being tested for lead poisoning, and that's why it's so crucial to told hold delinquent property owners accountable for a lead-safe home.
“About ten years ago, about one in four kindergartners in the City of Cleveland tested positive for lead poisoning," Margolius said. "We think that number is getting better. We know that our lead positivity rate has gone down, we're at about 9% right now, but it remains a tremendous challenge for us.”
Meanwhile, Roberts told News 5 homeowners who don't follow court-ordered lead abatement could face up to 18 months in jail and a $5,000 fine, but said the objective is to get property owners to comply, not put them in jail. Roberts said he expects the city to file prosecutions against dozens of additional delinquent property owners in the coming months.
Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb made it clear reducing the lead risk for Cleveland children is a top priority for his administration.
“For the first time in decades, the city filed prosecution complaints requiring owners of properties who have not complied with the lead hazard control orders to appear in court," Mayor Bibb said. “Now you have an administration that's going to be aggressive and innovative in terms of how we hold accountable these immoral, morally bankrupt companies who prey on Cleveland’s neighborhoods."
News 5 is committed to following through on the issue of lead poisoning and its health impact on Northeast Ohio children.
