Toledo mayor announces lead-safe paint certification deadline for rental property owners

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - Mayor Kapszukiewicz announced the first deadline for lead-safe paint certification for rental property owners Tuesday.

“This is serious business because the problem we are dealing with is serious,” said Kapszukiewicz.

Mayor Kapszukiewicz was joined by the Director of Housing and Community Development, Rosalyn Clemens, Toledo-Lucas County Health Department Commissioner, Eric Zgodzinski, and Vice President with the Toledo Lead Poisoning Prevention Coalition, Juanita Greene to officially announce that the deadline for the first phase of the project is June 30, 2022.

“We’re serious about this,” said Clemens. “This is a silent crisis in our city.”

The City of Toledo passed an ordinance that requires all one-to-four unit residential rental properties and family childcare homes built prior to 1978 to receive a Lead-Safe Certificate from the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department.

According to the City of Toledo, in order to receive the certificate, properties must satisfy the state requirement of being registered with the county auditor and must also pass a qualifying lead-safe inspection by certain deadlines.

To see outlines of the compliance deadlines, check this map.

The City says the inspection must be done by a local lead inspector who performs a visual inspection of both the interior and exterior of the property to verify there isn’t any chipping/peeling paint or bare soil conditions. Dust wipes will also be collected in certain locations throughout the home and they must meet the standards of the Environmental Protection Agency.

According to the City, failure to comply with the rental registry or lead-safe certificate ordinances will result in a maximum fine of $10,000 per year. If tenants suspect their rental is not lead-safe, they should contact their landlords.

“We take no pleasure in fining you $10,000 per property. We want you to comply, and whatever it takes for us to get you to that point, we’re willing to do that,” Clemens said.

Lead-Safe Certificate Applications are available online.

Click here to learn more.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact that City through the Lead-Safe Toledo website or by calling Engage Toledo at 419-936-2020

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