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Cleveland Lead Advocates for Safe Housing (CLASH) is a volunteer-driven, largely self funded coalition of 9 community based organizations and 6 at large members, working to make Cleveland Lead Safe. CLASH is fighting for the full and timely implementation of the Cleveland Lead Safe Certificate ordinance, expanding child lead testing for Clevelanders who are at risk of lead poisoning, and broadening the public's awareness of lead hazards.
CLASH Board of Directors
CLASH Board of Directors
Awareness for Action | Andre P. White is a legendary grassroots activist and political advisor, based on Cleveland's Southeast Side. No alternate rep has been appointed. Andre is team leader of CLASH's Advocacy Working Group.
Black Child Development Institute-Ohio (BCDI-O) is an education and advocacy organization addressing a range of issues affecting Black and Brown children. Gloria Blevins represents BCDI Ohio; Dr. Jasmine Moses is her alternate. Gloria is on CLASH's Report Back Project team and participates in child lead testing projects.
Black on Black Crime Incorporated (BBCI) (on suspension until 4/15)
Cleveland Lead Safe Network (CLSN). Spencer Wells is a co-founder (with Yvonka Hall) of the CLSN. Spencer is former director Cleveland Tenants Organization and former Tenant Outreach Director for the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio. Spencer serves as Treasurer of CLASH and manages CLASH communications. Molly Garfield is active in many community justice organizations and serves Secretary of the CLASH Board. Molly works at the Cleveland Heights Library.
Cleveland Democratic Socialists of America | Steven McGrew serves as organizational representative for Cleveland DSA. Drew Thomaa serves and alternate director, replacing Tanmay was elected to Cleveland City Council in 2026.
Cuyahoga County Progressive Caucus (CCPC) | CCPC is a progressive political organization. Brian Houlehan, a member of the CCPC Steering committee, is their organizational representative on the CLASH Board. Steve Holecko, CCPC political director, is an alternate director.
New Voices for Reproductive Justice. Simara Vines serves on the board of CLASH as the representative from New Voices for Reproductive Justice. She is also the Cleveland Policy Analyst for New Voices, where she advances policy and advocacy efforts that build power alongside Black women, Black queer folks, and other marginalized Black communities.
Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition (NEOBHC) Yvonka M. Hall founder NEOBHC and co-founder of CLSN. She is a nationally recognized advocate for racial and environmental health justice issues. Yvonka serves as President of the CLASH Board. Her alternate is Samario Ford.
Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH) Josiah Quarles is Director of Organizing and Advocacy with NEOCH. Torria Catrone is alternate director. NEOCH will be providing organizing expertise to CLASH's CMHA awareness and outreach project.
Single Payer Action Network-Ohio (SPAN-Ohio) is represented on the CLASH Board by Brian Houlehan. Cathe Caraway is an alternate rep to CLASH. In addition to promoting community awareness, SPAN-Ohio is participating in a study of Universal Child Testing in Ohio,
CLASH has six "at large" community members on the Board of Directors
CLASH has six "at large" community members on the Board of Directors
Darrick Wade has been a crusader against lead poisoning since the death of his son as a result of lead poisoning in public housing. Darrick is an ordained minister and makes frequent speaking appearances locally and nationally. Darrick is a member of CMHA Awareness team and an advocate for the Federal Lead Safe Housing for Kids Act,
Erika Jarvis-Jones is a community leader and staffer for Northeast Ohio Community Resilience Center. Erika is a survivor of childhood lead poisoning. Erika serves as Vice President of CLASH and is a frequent spokesperson for CLASH.
The Honorable Jeff Johnson is a Judge in Cleveland Municipal Court. When he was a Cleveland City Councilperson. Judge Johnson introduced the first Lead Safe Housing ordinance at Cleveland City Council.
Rebecca Maurer drafted the original Lead Safe Certificate legislation while employed at Cleveland Legal Aid Society. She was elected to Cleveland City Council in 2021 and was chairperson of the Lead Safe Advisory Board.
Lila Parker is a foster mom of 3 boys under age 5 and an aspiring journalist and public relations professional who plays a key role in CLASH's family empowerment activatives.
Accomplishments of CLSN and CLASH
In 2016, a loose collective of activists held a series of community meetings around the idea of requiring pre-1978 rental housing to be required to be lead safe. Those meetings led to the creation of Cleveland Lead Safe Network (CLSN) was founded in January 2017.
Barely three months old, in 2017, CLSN helped organize citizen groups across the state to defeat an effort to preempt local jurisdictions from enacting legislation around lead safe housing.
Later in 2017, worked with Councilman Jeff Johnson to introduce Cleveland’s first ever Lead Safe Housing Ordinance and worked for a year to mobilize support for the ordinance. The legislation never got a hearing.
In 2018, CLSN and 9 other grassroots organizations came together to form Cleveland Lead Advocates for Safe Housing (CLASH) as a political action committee.
During the Pandemic years, CLASH shifted from being a political action committee to becoming a Tax Exempt Non-profit focused on community awareness.
In 2022, CLASH briefed candidates for Cleveland mayor and city council on the need for Lead Safety and began a study of barriers to Child Lead Testing. CLASH formed a working relationship with the US EPA to expand outreach and messaging to the Greater Cleveland community.
In 2023, CLASH participated in 20 community sponsored events and sponsored four SoilSHOP events and the first Lead Safe Resource Fair with US EPA Region 5.
During 2024, CLASH supported the enactment of the “Residents First” legislation to increase the capacity of Building and Housing. Later in the year. CLASH endorsed the Mayor’s Executive Order requiring Lead Risk Assessments as a standard of practice for a Lead Safe Certificate. CLASH worked with Cleveland City Council to support Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority efforts to comply with findings of the HUD Inspector General.
During 2025, CLASH volunteers advised on reorganization of Cleveland's Lead Safe Certificate programs, including reorganization of lead safe certificate approvals, implementation of an enforcement process for non-compliance with rental registration, and creation of on site child lead testing in public housing estates.
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