|
An estimated 3,500 children are poisoned by lead, primarily
from the approximately 45,000 – 60,000 homes in Toledo that
contain lead paint. Exposure to the hazard is more likely to
occur in older homes located in Toledo’s urban core, which
means that African-American children in low-income
neighborhoods overwhelmingly suffer the devastating effects
of lead poisoning at a much higher rate than anyone else.
The cognitive damage and
behavioral problems caused by lead poisoning are permanent
and leave a lasting mark on our children, setting them up
for a lifetime of struggle. However, the consequences are
not limited to children’s health. Lead poisoning also brings
with it a calamitous impact on life outcomes, causing
social, educational, and economic effects that doom a
child’s chances to thrive or of being successful. There are
also additional direct economic and societal burdens
reflected in higher costs that continue to strain the
budgets of our public education, criminal justice and
welfare systems.
An African-American child
growing up already faces countless challenges. But this is
one barrier we can remove.
A recent ordinance introduced
to Toledo City Council will help to ensure all children in
our community have access to safe and healthy housing,
regardless of who they are or where they live. The
legislation would require owners of single family or duplex
rental properties to obtain a lead inspection, take
appropriate steps to address potential lead hazards, and
register their property with the Toledo-Lucas County Health
Department.
By calling for the use of
interim controls, the ordinance offers an easy, affordable
option for rental property owners to address lead hazards
without incurring the high costs and lengthy process
typically associated with lead abatement. A one-year rollout
period also allows adequate time to bring properties into
compliance.
The proactive approach of
this legislation is an effort to prevent lead poisoning
before it occurs, an improvement on current public health
policies that don’t call for action to be taken until after
a child has been poisoned, when the effects have already set
in.
While some, including the
powerful local real estate lobby, are concerned about the
cost of controlling the hazards of lead, ignoring the
problem brings even more expense, costs that we all bear.
Children affected by lead poisoning experience a loss of IQ
points and poor impulse control, which makes them more
likely to have difficulties in school and in obtaining
employment, and more likely to be incarcerated.
A 2014 University of Michigan
study concluded that the costs in the State of Michigan
associated with healthcare, special education, decreased
earnings and crime amount to $330 million annually,
including $145 million borne directly by taxpayers.
Home should be a place
where children can be nurtured and protected, not face an
invisible threat every day. It should be a place to dream
about possibilities, not be stripped of opportunities. But
for too many children in our community, lead poisoning is a
barrier to reaching their full potential. This public health
crisis is entirely preventable, and we have a responsibility
to protect our children from these dangers.
Rather than step to the left
on African Americans, the leaders of our city have a
responsibility to step up to the plate and protect the
health and well-being of our children, and should pass the
lead ordinance. This is a chance to leave an intentional
positive mark on the lives of our children, a tangible
promise that each and every one of them can have the
opportunity for a bright future.
Contact Rev. Donald Perryman, D.Min, at
drdlperryman@centerofhopebaptist.org
|
