Resources for Property Owners

Finding a State Certified Lead Professional

Lead Safe Resource Center List of RRP certified contractors and licensed lead professionals.

Ohio Department of Health. Lead Licensure and Accreditation Program

Financial Assistance for property owners

Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition has financial assistance for property owners seeking lead safe certification from the City of Cleveland. 

City of Cleveland Lead Hazard Control Program Residents of the City of Cleveland living in older homes with children under the age of six (6) years and whose incomes are included in the guidelines below may participate in this program. Landlords are required to contribute to the project depending on funding availability and project costs. Complete applications are scored to determine priority and a. Eligible housing units include: Home must be in the City of Cleveland and built before 1978. A child under age six (6) must live in or visit the home 20+ hours each week, or a pregnant woman must live in the home. Lead hazards must be identified (all eligible families get a free lead inspection).The family living in the home must qualify as low-income.

Cuyahoga County Free Home Repairs. NOTE: Not currently accepting applications.

Ohio Medicaid Grant (SCHIP). The ODH lead program has funding to remove lead paint hazards from homes built before 1978. This program is statewide and available in every Ohio county. The goal is to help protect families with Medicaid-eligible children and/or Medicaid-eligible pregnant women against the dangers of lead paint hazards.

Ohio Lead Abatement Tax Credit.This program issues state income tax credits to Ohio property owners for lead abatement expenses incurred for their eligible dwelling. To qualify for the state tax credit, a property owner must be an individual taxpayer, estate, or trust. The applicant must submit an application to the Ohio Department of Health documenting that the applicant incurred lead abatement costs on an eligible dwelling during the taxable year, that the eligible dwelling was built prior to 1978, and that the dwelling has passed a clearance examination.

Disclosing Lead Hazards to Renters

Federal Law requires that landlords disclose in writing any known lead hazards to prospective tenants at the time of rental. The Federal requirements are also part of State law and Cleveland codified ordinance.

Cleveland's Codified Ordinance section 240 has some additional requirements

• Notice to tenants when a landlord learns of lead hazards. Section 240.06 requires "If the owner of a residential unit learns of the presence of lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards the owner shall notify each tenant of the presence of lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards within ten (10) days of discovering its presence. In addition, the owner shall notify prospective tenants of presumed lead-based paint and shall provide each tenant with a Lead Warning Statement and the lead hazard information pamphlet, as prescribed by 42 U.S.C. 4852d."

• Notice to tenants before beginning lead safe work.  Section 240.08 requires "For any lead abatement, interim controls, lead-safe maintenance practices or lead-safe renovation work in a residential unit, child day-care facility or school, the owner shall provide seven (7) days advance written notice to all occupants of residential structures, or all parents, students, teachers, and staff of child day-care facilities or schools from which lead-based paint is to be removed, and to all occupants of residential structures which are within thirty (30) feet of the residential structure, child day-care facility or school from which the lead-based paint is to be removed. The notice shall be as prescribed by the Commissioner and shall include, at a minimum, the address at which the lead-based paint will be removed, the date of commencement of the lead-based paint removal, the anticipated length of time to complete the removal, and the method by which the lead-based paint will be removed. The notice shall include a copy of an EPA-approved lead hazard information pamphlet."

Do it yourself?

Repair, Renovate, and Paint: the RRP Rule. EPA recommends homeowners hire a lead-safe certified contractor who is certified and trained in lead-safe work practices, meaning a group of techniques to prevent lead exposure resulting from renovation and repair activities. And in fact, the RRP rule requires that contractors performing RRP projects in pre-1978 homes, child care facilities, and preschools be lead-safe certified. Generally speaking, the RRP rule does not apply to homeowners doing RRP projects in their own home. However, it does apply if you rent all or part of your home, operate a child care center in your home or if you buy, renovate and sell homes for profit (i.e., a house flipper). If you decide to do the work yourself, make sure to use lead-safe work practices for do-it-yourself (DIY) home renovation projects to protect you and your family.
Here's an overview of the RRP rule