Oct. 18 – Development, Planning and Sustainability Committee, Cleveland City Council
Covered by Documenter Mildred Seward
What happened: The committee held legislation that would send $5.5 million to the Department of Community Development. The money would be used for residential lead abatement grants. It would come from $17 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds that council previously allocated to the Mt. Sinai Health Foundation for use by the Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition. Council members and administration officials disputed whether coalition leaders were on board with this change. Committee Chair Anthony Hairston held the legislation until coalition leaders could weigh in. Council’s Finance, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee amended and advanced the emergency ordinance in its Oct. 24 meeting. It was unclear how they resolved the dispute. Here’s how the $17 million will now be distributed: $3 million will go to Community Development, $1 million will go to the Department of Law to increase prosecution against lead-safety violations, and Mt. Sinai will get the remaining $13 million. Full council passed the legislation on Oct 24.
Zoning change: The committee also advanced a change to the zoning code in an area of Ward 14 next to the MetroHealth Medical Center. The change would accommodate affordable housing and mixed-use development. Council also passed this legislation at its Oct. 24 meeting.
Learn more about the Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition on its website.