Cleveland Lead Advocates
for Safe Housing

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Upcoming Events in February and March

Press Conference: Advocates Call Out Cleveland City Council Leadership for Stalling Critical Lead Safe Legislation

Join CLASH in the City Hall Rotunda on Monday, March 2, 2026, at 10:30 AM to address critical issues regarding the lead safe legislation.

Historically, Cleveland has faced challenges Cleveland faces a chronic public health crisis with childhood lead poisoning rates that are nearly four times the national average. The impact is primarily driven by the city's aging infrastructure, where approximately 90% of housing was built before the 1978 lead paint ban. This crisis disproportionately affects low-income, African American neighborhoods due to a history of redlining and systemic disinvestment, which has left many rental properties poorly maintained. Economists estimate that every $1 spent on lead screening and treatment saves approximately $7 to $17 in future public health, special education, and criminal justice costs. Lead exposure in Cleveland contributes to a massive loss in lifetime earnings and tax revenue due to diminished intellectual capacity.

These grim statistics represent the sad reality faced by children born in the city of Cleveland and their families. Lead poisoning is the main driver of the disproportionate health burden that Clevelanders face throughout life. Cleveland has not done enough to keep children from being poisoned every single day. The most precious gift we can give to the children of the city of Cleveland is a gift of health not a Lakefront Project. CLASH Advocacy Director Andre P. White says, "God bless the children who got their own."

Today, Cleveland residents and representatives from local and national organizations are calling on City Council leadership to move in the right direction to address “Public Enemy Number #1.”

Key themes of the press conference will include:

• Funding Management Challenges: Despite a $93 million coalition fund, progress is hindered by our city’s lead poisoning crisis and improved outcomes for all.

• Lead Safe Certification: A 2019 ordinance requires all rental properties built before 1978 to obtain a Lead Safe Certification. However, compliance is a major hurdle, with only about half of the city's 90,000 rental units registered as of recent reports. Administrative failures where the city had to return millions in unspent federal and state grants.

• Declining Testing Rates: While the number of children with elevated blood lead levels has trended downward, this is partially because testing rates dropped significantly before the pandemic and have not fully recovered. 

The Cleveland Lead Advocates for Safe Housing (CLASH), Northeast Ohio Community Resilience Centre, Cleveland Democratic Socialists of America, Cuyahoga County Progressive Caucus, Black Child Development Institute-Ohio, Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, Cleveland Lead Safe Network, and New Voices for Reproductive Justice. Together, these organizations demand that the City of Cleveland address the egregious issues related to funding, management, testing, administration, and certification incentives. For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Spencer Wells at clevelandleadsafe@gmail.com. 

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