Feds,GR landlords reach lead paint deal

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - The federal government has settled a lawsuit against two Grand Rapids landlords accused of not telling tenants in 67 rental properties about lead paint in their homes.

Children living in some of the homes suffered lead poisoning, according to the suit filed against Jose and Guillermina Sierra last week by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Under the terms of the settlement, the Sierras will pay a $6,000 fine and make all 67 rental units they own or manage in 32 Grand Rapids properties "lead safe" at an estimated cost of $350,000.

Many of the properties are clustered near Burton Street and Division Avenue.

According to the suit, between 2000 and 2003, the Sierras were "cited or given notice by the Kent County Health Department ... for owning and managing at least five units in properties where children had elevated blood lead levels and/or the units had known lead-based paint hazards."

Landlords are required by federal law to notify tenants of known lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards -- and the Sierras did not let their tenants know, the government alleged.

None of the tenants 24 Hour News 8 spoke with Tuesday with knew about the settlement.

The landlords already have tested their properties for lead-based paint as a result of the settlement, according to a government news release. Now, the Sierras have agreed to do what the government terms "lead-based paint hazard reduction," including replacing some windows.

It has to happen within six years.

But for properties where children or pregnant women live, it has to be done within six months -- a sign of just how dangerous lead paint can be for children.

"The big thing is: lead paint causes brain damage," said Paul Haan, director of the Healthy Homes Coalition, in an interview last week after the suit was filed. "And oftentimes, the kids affected are 1, 2 years old. So they're very, very young and it's hard to tell that something's going wrong when a child's that young.

"The tough part for somebody that rents a home is that they don't own it, so they have limited things they can do to protect their children."

There are some measures parents can take to protect their children, but removing the lead paint properly is the best solution, he said. The city of Grand Rapids is a partner in the Get the Lead Out program, which helps residents remove the hazard.

The Sierras' 67 units are at these locations:

16 Griggs
19 Elm
608 Liberty
1055 Madison
1152 Madison
437 Hall SE
24 Burton SE
29 Burton SW
39 Burton SW
43 Burton SW
44 Burton SW
52 Burton SW
401 Burton SW
1748 S. Division
1814 S. Division
1818 S. Division
1822 S. Division
1826 S. Division
1854 S. Division
1912 S. Division
1916 S. Division
1822 Horton SE
1841 Horton SE
1905 Horton SE
1960 Horton SE
2032 Horton SE
45 Sutton
141 Griggs
525 Shamrock
415 Laurel
222 Montgomery

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On the Net:

Grand Rapids - Get The Lead Out

About Lead Paint - CPSC