GRAND RAPIDS – A coalition of 24 community organizations presented a position paper to the Grand Rapids City Commission on September 27 calling for cooperation to address growing housing concerns as a result of the recent changes in the real estate market.
A new report prepared by the Michigan Network for Children's Environmental Health, of which the Healthy Homes Coalition is a member, reports estimates the annual environmentally attributable costs of lead poisoning at $3.2 - $4.85 billion for Michigan residents.
Beginning April 22, all renovators, remodelers and painters working in pre-1978 housing are now required to be an EPA-certified renovator trained in lead safe work practices. This requirement applies to all renovation projects, not just lead abatement. Effected trades include remodelers, renovators, window replacement workers, painters, electricians, plumbers, and any other trades that disturb painted surfaces during the course of their work. Landlords who make repairs themselves are also required to have this certification.
The Healthy Homes Coalition will be hosting their Annual Meeting 4:30pm Thursday, August 5.
Get the Lead Out! and Healthy Homes are the cover story for the MiBiz Sustainability Report for this quarter.
National and Local Experts Urge Lead Poisoning Testing For Children.
50% of children in Grand Rapids are not being tested for lead poisoning at the critical ages of 1 and 2.
GRAND RAPIDS – The Grand Rapids Get The Lead Out! campaign has been successful on many fronts. The number of homes having lead based paint abated is increasing. Yet an alarming number of children are not being tested for lead poisoning at the critical ages of 1 and 2.
“In children, lead can cause nervous system and kidney damage, learning disabilities, speech, language problems, decreased muscle and bone growth and hearing damage,” said Joan Dyer-Zykowski, Kent County Health Department Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program Manager. "The majority of children lead poisoned in Grand Rapids are between one and two years old."
The City of Grand Rapids Get the Lead Out! program is offering free lead training for professionals seeking to enter the lead hazard control, abatement and assessment fields. This is an opportunity for small business owners from the affected communities to receive free training to make them eligible for lead hazard control work funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The Healthy Homes Coalition is partnering with Home Repair Services to provide a Lead Safe Painting and Home Repair workshop for do-it-yourself home owners interested in making home repairs in a lead-safe fashion.
The Detroit Free Press published an indepth article on Sunday, May 16 that looks at the link between lead and learning. The article features a look at children's blood lead levels relative to their performance on MEAP scores later in life.
The US-EPA has launched a portal on its website where homeowners can find contractors who have been trained and certified in how to safely make repairs so that children are not exposed to lead hazards. The searchable database can be accessed by clicking here.
The law has plenty to say about lead hazards and rental property. While this may seem daunting, most laws will be no problem if you:
- Disclose to your tenants what you know about lead in your rental units (make sure to properly document the disclosure).
- Keep up basic maintenance.
- Respond promptly and thoroughly to complaints about lead.
Following is some information about the various laws that address lead in rental housing:
Federal Disclosure Requirements
A federal law, "Title X," requires that landlords disclose all known lead hazards in housing to prospective tenants prior to lease signing. It also requires that tenants are provided specific information on lead-based paint hazards in housing. The law is very specific about what must be done and how records are to be kept. Every landlord should become familiar with the requirements of Title X. Federal investigators are actively enforcing this law in west Michigan.
Here are some resources:
- New! A Simple Fact Sheet from the Healthy Homes Coalition to help landlords take a few simple steps to comply (232 KB PDF).
- Federal Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Program for Residential Properties - Section 1018 of Title X (HUD and EPA enforcement).
- HUD/EPA Fact Sheet: Disclosure of Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Housing (31 KB PDF)
- HUD/EPA Questions & Answers on the Disclosure Rule (19 KB PDF)
- Sample RENTAL Form: Disclosure of Information on Lead-Based Paint and/or Lead-Based Paint Hazard (163 KB PDF)
- Sample SALE Form: Disclosure of Information on Lead-Based Paint and/or Lead-Based Paint Hazards (164 KB PDF)
- Lead Hazard Information Pamphlet: "Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home," aka: the "Blue Book" ( 674 KB PDF)
City of Grand Rapids Housing Code
The City of Grand Rapids Housing Code requires four primary actions regarding lead-based paint hazards:
- Prohibition on peeling and chipping paint.
- Prohibition on paint chips and residue lying on the ground or horizontal surfaces (this includes window troughs).
- Prohibition on bare soil within 30 inches of any structure (enforced seasonally).
- Requirement that lead-safe work practices are used when working on pre-1978 housing.
Click here for the current code (76 KB PDF).
The City requires that all rental property be Registered. In addition, all rental property must be Certified, which involves undergoing periodic inspections. The lead paint code items above are included as part of this Certification inspection. For more information on City of Grand Rapids Housing Code, call (616) 456-3053.
Kent County Housing Regulation
The Kent County Housing Regulation comes into play when there is a child with an elevated blood lead level living in a rental unit. In these cases, County regulation permits the Kent County Health Department to conduct inspections to uncover lead hazards and to order repairs. The County will then notify the property owner, giving him or her a short time to make repairs. If the repairs are not made, the property can be condemned for occupancy.
If a property is condemned, the resident family will need to vacate the unit immediately and the unit will need to remain vacant until all lead repairs are made and the property passes reinspection. Condemnation is expensive, as it prohibits landlords from collecting rents until the hazards are repaired.
Click here for a copy of the Kent County Housing Regulation (184 KB PDF).
Michigan Public Act 434
Michigan Public Act 434 permits civil penalties for landlords who knowingly rent units with lead hazards to families with children who have elevated blood-lead levels. Penalties can include jail time and fines.
Michigan housing law permits the local public health department to inspect rental units when there are suspected health hazards, including when a resident child is found to be lead poisoned. A landlord who has received notice of a governmental inspection and its findings of lead hazards should be concerned and immediately responsive to orders for repairs. PA 434 does not apply to risk assessment and inspections conducted by private contractors on behalf of the landlord.
PA 434 is used when landlords do not respond to orders to repair hazardous property. Your best defense, other than maintaining lead-safe properties, is a prompt response to all notices.
Click here for a copy of PA 434 (40 KB PDF)
Civil Liability
On occasion, tenants with lead-poisoned children will try to sue their landlord and/or his or her insurance company for damages related to their child's condition. The best way to protect yourself from these lawsuits is to eliminate lead hazards in your housing, be proactive with maintenance, and respond promptly to complaints. For more information on maintaining a lead-safe property, see the Fixing Lead Hazards page.
If you need further help dealing with lead and the law, always feel free to contact the Healthy Homes Coalition at (616) 241-3300.
Making sure children grow up in homes that are healthy and safe is everyone’s job! The Healthy Homes Coalition is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Learn more about specific ways you can help protect children. Connect with us today!
742 Franklin St. SE // Grand Rapids, MI 49507 // 616.241.3300 p // 616.241.3327 f // info@healthyhomescoalition.org
Special thanks to the Dyer-Ives Foundation for their generous support of this website. © 2006-2010 Healthy Homes Coalition.
