Empower the Parents

Empowerment means taking control of your environment.

For years, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority has controlled the flow of information about tenants rights and health and safety issues through a complex social services and tenant councils. This network limits tenants/parents access to independent information.

This network of control is reinforced by a system of rewards (transfers to larger or newer units) or punishments (threats of eviction for minor violations and social pressure from other tenants to conform to CMHA "standards"). 

That network of control has been reinforced by claims that CMHA has addressed lead (and other health and safety issues) because of HUD oversight.  At many of CLASH outreach events, CMHA routinely tell our volunteers: "CMHA has corrected the lead problems." Nevertheless CLASH continues to get anonymous complaints of serious lead hazards and the IG report shows that CMHA tenants are subject to lead hazards.

CLASH's Awareness programs, including tabling at community events, sponsoring SoilSHOP events, and Lead Safe Resource Fairs, gives us the knowledge to help CMHA tenants find ways to identify and address lead risks in their homes.