CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — Cleveland Heights is expanding its lead abatement program this year thanks to hundreds of thousands of dollars in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grants.

What You Need To Know

  • The city of Cleveland Heights is using ARPA funds to further expand its lead abatement program
  • They are investing $400,000 in federal grants

  • They are also expanding income eligibility

Specifically, they are investing $400,000 of these federal grants into the program’s expansion, according to a press release from the city.

“We’re excited to expand on an already impactful lead abatement program and help more Cleveland Heights residents stay in their homes with the peace of mind that lead has been removed,” Mayor Kahlil Seren said in the release. “Cleveland Heights is a model for how government works at all levels. We’re directing resources from the federal government to provide a housing repair program that is helping residents achieve a piece of the American dream, in this case, without the scourge of lead. Kudos to our Housing Preservation Office for tripling its lead clearance rate in 2024.”

The city states that Cleveland Heights represented a quarter of the county’s closed lead abatement cases last year.

“Word of mouth is huge,” said Zach Ravanelli, who oversees the Cleveland Heights Lead Safe Program, in the release. “Credit the City’s Lead Safe Ordinance. It helps redirect landlords to the program.”

Thanks to the ARPA dollars, the city said they are offering grants for lead remediation in apartments, $20,000 for owner-occupied housing and $12,000 for landlords.

This assistance is only for landlords in compliance with the city’s lead registration program, though, the city notes. It notes those landlords who are interested can contact leadcertification@clevelandheights.gov.

“A provision in the Cleveland Heights Lead Safe Ordinance adopted by City Council in 2022 requires landlords to file a property’s Lead Safe Certificate with the City,” the release reads. “The deadline for properties within the first and second geographies required to file a certificate is July 1, 2025. Notifications will be sent to landlords in this group in February.”

The release also states that the city is expanding income eligibility. Now homeowners who make up to 120% of the Area Median Income are eligible.

A quarter of the funding will also focus on repairs that make homes healthier, in ways such as “removing or encasing lead-painted windows” or improving air quality.

“The city completed $600,000 in lead abatement projects last year when we typically complete around $200,000 in cases,” said Brian Iorio, Assistant Director of Cleveland Heights Department of Community Development, in the release. “This year’s program funding is about three times higher thanks to the City’s ARPA funds.” 

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