Learn more about CLASH
ProBonoPhotoCLE.org
Cleveland Lead Advocates for Safe Housing (CLASH) is an all-volunteer, mostly self-funded, advocacy coalition which seeks to make Cleveland Lead Safe.
CLASH Organizational Members
Awareness for Action
Black Lives Matter-Cuyahoga County (BLM-CC)
Black on Black Crime Inc. (BBCI)
Cuyahoga County Progressive Caucus (CCPC)
Cleveland Lead Safe Network (CLSN)
Cleveland Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)
Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH)
Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition (NEOBHC)
Single Payer Action Network-Ohio Region 1 (SPAN)
At Large Jeff Johnson
At Large Darrick Wade
At Large Erika Jarvis
CLASH goals for 2023.
Appoint a Lead Czar to the Mayor's Cabinet
Expand Childhood Lead Testing
Enforce Cleveland's Lead Safe Certificate Program
Replace lead water lines in Cleveland.
Lead Poisoned Houses--Fix'm Up or Tear them down (safely)
Enact Federal legislation to protect tenants in Federally assisted housing
Establish open meetings and open data around lead issues.
Mission and History
Mission: CLASH advocates for full and timely implementation of the Cleveland Lead Safe Certificate ordinance and to expand the scope of lead safe protections for Clevelanders who are at risk of lead poisoning.
Our History: Cleveland Lead Safe Network (CLSN) was founded in January 2017 to promote legislation that would require owners of rental properties built before 1978 to make their properties lead safe before children are poisoned. At that time about 4 children per day were being diagnosed with elevated blood lead levels.
During 2017 and 2018, CLSN worked with Councilman Jeff Johnson to write and introduce the Cleveland Lead Safe ordinance. Despite our best efforts, Cleveland City Council refused to hold hearings on the ordinance.
In January of 2019, Cleveland Lead Safe Network joined with 11 other community based organizations to form Cleveland Lead Advocates for Safe Housing (CLASH) as an Issue PAC under Ohio law. CLASH began a petition drive to place a lead safe housing initiative on the ballot.
Faced with the likelihood of a vote of the people, Cleveland City Council enacted a Lead Safe Certificate ordinance on 7/24/19.
In 2020, during the first wave of the pandemic, CLASH re-organized as a 501 c 3 tax exempt organization for the purpose of fully implementing the Cleveland Lead Safe Certificate ordinance and expanding the scope of lead safe housing protections for Clevelanders who are at risk of lead poisoning.
During 2021, CLASH developed health safe communication channels including two email newsletters (Stay in Touch for public supporters and Weekend/midweek update for activists.) We also produced a brochure on Using Nutrition to Combat Lead Poisoning, which we circulated at food programs and feeding centers. CLASH continued to meet using online meeting tools.
In 2022, CLASH carried the message of lead safety into neighborhood where we met fact to face with the citizen base that propelled the passage of the Lead Safe Certificate Program. At the same time we conducted briefings on lead safety with candidates for Mayor and City Council. On election day, CLASH activists took heart that candidates who were committed to implementation of the Lead Safe Certificate program were elected to office. You can read more about our 2022 Goals and accomplishments.
Now in 2023, CLASH is expanding the scope of our work of awareness, activism, leadership and governance to address new challenges. In addition to our focus on enforcing the Lead Safe Certificate program, CLASH has added a focus on improving child lead testing, empowering families dealing with lead hazards, and addressing industrial lead hazards. Our 2023 goals are outlined here.
Accomplishments of CLSN and CLASH
Barely three months old, in 2017, Cleveland Lead Safe Network (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.