Council Members Concerned About CMHA Report on Condition of Units and Child Lead Poisoning

Jul 17, 2024

Council members are asking for Cleveland’s Director of Public Health to do an independent review of lead poisoning cases involving children living in Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority estates, as well as asking the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority to explain their lead testing sampling and come up with a plan to address all problems uncovered. 

A recent U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Inspector General report found CMHA did not tell HUD about lead-poisoned children at its properties, and covered up deteriorating paint before determining whether it was the cause of child lead-poisoning cases.  

“I am deeply concerned about the living conditions and housing equity for the residents of Cleveland,” said Councilman Richard Starr (Ward 5). “As someone who grew up in the CMHA King Kennedy housing in the Central Neighborhood during the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, I am committed to addressing the significant challenges faced by the community in this regard. 

“It is imperative that we prioritize and take action to ensure a more equitable and dignified living environment for all residents,” Councilman Starr continued. “For years, as a leader in Cleveland, I have been raising the alarm on lead issues at CMHA housing and all private-public housing estates in Cleveland. I believe more accountability from HUD and City Hall is desperately needed.”

CMHA failed to report 14 cases of children with elevated lead levels in their blood to HUD from 2020 to 2022, contravening federal reporting regulations. According to the report, CMHA did not consistently conduct thorough environmental investigations in five of these cases and failed to investigate at all in one instance. Additionally, CMHA's practice of painting deteriorating paint before conducting investigations may have compromised the integrity of the subsequent test results, hindering the identification of potential lead hazards. This failure to perform appropriate testing and investigations poses a possible threat to future tenants, particularly children, as it does not adequately prevent lead poisoning in affected units.

“The revelations in this report are particularly frustrating because we’ve asked directly to Cleveland’s Department of Public Health whether CMHA is a source of lead poisoning in our community. CDPH repeatedly told us that CMHA’s properties were not a significant source of lead poisoning and that the locations were well maintained under HUD guidelines,” said Councilman Kevin Conwell, chair of Cleveland City Council’s Health, Human Services & the Arts Committee.

“We need to understand how the revelations in this shocking report fell through the cracks at CDPH,” Added Councilwoman Rebecca Maurer, the vice-chair of Council’s Health and Human Services Committee. 

The action that needs to occur led by Cleveland City Council is to collaborate with the Cleveland Building & Housing Department, the Department of Public Health and HUD to accomplish the following:

• A Special Joint committee (Development, Planning, & Sustainability and Health, Human Services, & the Arts Committees) to bring CMHA, Cleveland’s Building and Housing and Health Departments to explain their lead testing policies, including an accountability plan from HUD regarding CMHA's failure to report lead levels. 
• Call on healthcare providers to partner with the city Health Department to test all children living in CMHA’s 16,913 (9,209 active units) for lead poisoning. 
• CMHA must provide its complete lead-safe testing plan to City Council with the following information: (1) who it has hired to complete lead testing; (2) a certification that all third parties hired  for lead testing are free of any conflicts of interest listed in Cleveland Codified Ordinances 365.04(f) with respect to all CMHA board members and senior management; and (3) their contractors’ testing schedule and sampling methodology for all 16,913 CMHA units. At the Joint Committee, CMHA and HUD be prepared to answer questions about oversight of lead testing within CMHA units. 

The Inspector General's report identified various deficiencies in CMHA's processes to prevent lead poisoning. The visual lead assessments, crucial for identifying and addressing lead hazards, were significantly delayed in most of the 59 housing units reviewed. The report noted that assessments for seven units were overdue by at least 150 days. Based on a statistically significant sample, the findings led the inspector general to determine that approximately 1,572 CMHA units, out of an estimated 2,252 units with lead paint, were not meeting the required timelines for visual assessments. These shortcomings underscore the critical need for improved processes to effectively address lead hazards and reduce the risk of lead poisoning in CMHA housing units.

“Growing up in public housing, there’s a [feeling] that ‘I’m stuck in this environment. Whether it gets better or not, I’m stuck here,”  Councilman Starr said. “So right now, people live in their lead-infested apartments and don’t have nowhere else to go. That’s what they deal with and must put up with.”

In conclusion, prioritizing lead safety remains a crucial concern that necessitates ongoing attention. As members of the Cleveland City Council, we are dedicated to collaborating with all relevant stakeholders, including CMHA, to develop a comprehensive resolution to the lead-related issues and housing inequities affecting Cleveland residents.

Find the IG report here: https://www.hudoig.gov/newsroom/press-release/cuyahoga-metropolitan-housing-authority-did-not-have-adequate-oversight-lead?indexRefer=/news-congressional/press-releases