Your ODH-Certified Partner for the 2-Year Risk Assessment

The 2019 Cleveland Lead Safe Certification ordinance is a critical piece of legislation designed to protect the city’s children from the dangers of lead poisoning.[1, 2] As a landlord, navigating the compliance process can be confusing. This guide provides a clear, step-by-step path to getting your properties certified.

We are an Ohio Department of Health (ODH) licensed and certified lead inspection firm, specializing in helping Cleveland landlords pass their inspections quickly and efficiently. We handle everything from the initial 2-Year Lead Risk Assessment (LRA) to the 20-Year Exemption (LIRA) inspections.

What is the Cleveland Lead Safe Certification?

The law, passed in 2019, requires that all residential rental units in Cleveland built before 1978 must be certified as “Lead-Safe”.[2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

• Who It Applies To: All rental properties built before January 1, 1978.
• Who Is Exempt: Owner-occupied units are exempt from the certification requirement.[2, 3, 6, 7]
• The Goal: To eliminate lead hazards and prevent childhood lead poisoning, which is a major public health crisis in the city.[1, 2]
• Validation Period: A standard Lead Safe Certification is valid for two years, after which the property owner must re-apply for certification.[1, 2, 5]

The Official 6-Step Path to Certification

The City of Cleveland and the Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition have outlined a clear 6-step process for landlords to achieve compliance.[4] We help you manage the most critical technical steps.

1. Check Your Property: Confirm your property was built before 1978 and determine your compliance deadline by zip code.
2. Remediate Lead Hazards (If Necessary): If you have visible deteriorating paint or known hazards, you must hire an EPA RRP-Certified contractor to perform repairs using lead-safe work practices.[4, 8]
3. Clean Your Property: This is a critical step. You must perform a thorough Environmental Clean 24-48 hours before your inspection. This includes wet-wiping all window sills, window troughs, and floors.[2, 9, 4]
4. Get Lead Clearance: This is our specialty. You must hire an independent, ODH-certified professional (like us) to perform either a Lead Risk Assessment or a Clearance Exam to prove the unit is lead-safe.[2, 4]
5. Apply for Lead Safe Certification: Once you have our “passed” report, you submit it to the city via the [Citizen Access Portal] to receive your official two-year certificate.[2, 4, 5]
6. Contact the Resource Center: If you need financial help or have questions, the is available to help.[2, 4]

How We Guarantee You Pass: Our 3-Step Clearance Exam Process

We’ve streamlined the inspection into a simple, transparent process designed to get you a passing report on the first try. Based on best practices, here is what to expect [9, 10]:

1. Landlord Preparation (Before We Arrive): The single most common reason for failure is a lack of preparation. The unit must be properly cleaned 24-48 hours before our arrival, following the [Environmental Cleaning guidelines].[2, 9, 4] This means no visible dust, debris, or paint chips.
2. The Visual Inspection: When our certified technician arrives, the first step is a complete visual check. If the unit is not clean (i.e., visible dust on window sills, paint chips on the floor), the inspection will fail the visual component, and we cannot proceed to dust sampling. A fee for a failed visual inspection will apply.[9, 10]
3. The Dust-Wipe Sampling: If the unit passes the visual inspection, our technician will take a series of dust-wipe samples (a minimum of 12 in most units) from floors, window sills, and window troughs.[9, 10] These samples are sent to an independent, accredited lab for analysis. When they pass, we issue the official Lead Safe report you need for your city application.

Cleveland Inspection Types: What’s the Difference?

Landlords are often confused by the different inspection types. Here is a simple breakdown of the services you may need.[2, 11, 7]

Inspection Type	Who Needs It	What It Is
2-Year Lead Risk Assessment (LRA)	Most landlords seeking standard 2-year compliance.	The standard inspection to get the 2-year Lead Safe Certificate. It involves a visual inspection and dust-wipe sampling.[2, 7]
20-Year Exemption (LIRA)	Landlords who have abated all lead or have lead-free properties.	A much more intensive (and expensive) inspection, often using an XRF machine, that proves a unit is completely lead-free or fully abated, granting a 20-year exemption.[2, 7]
Lead Clearance Exam	Landlords who failed a previous LRA, performed remediation, and now need a “pass” test.	A follow-up test conducted after remediation work is finished to prove the hazards have been fixed and the unit is now lead-safe.[2, 7]

Financial Help for Cleveland Landlords

Complying with the lead ordinance doesn’t have to be a financial burden. Several state and local programs offer grants and tax credits. We provide the certified reports you need to apply for these funds.

• The Ohio Lead Abatement Tax Credit: Learn how you can get a state tax credit of up to $10,000 for qualifying lead abatement costs, including risk assessments and clearance exams.[12, 2, 13]
• The “Lead Safe Ohio” Grant Program: This state-funded program provides millions of dollars for lead remediation. We can help you with the grant application’s required assessments.[2, 14]
• Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition Grants: The coalition offers several financial assistance programs, including loans and grants, specifically for Cleveland landlords.[2, 15]

What happens if my property fails the visual inspection?

If our technician arrives and the unit has not been properly cleaned (visible dust or paint chips), the inspection stops. You will be charged a failed visual inspection fee.[10] We will provide photos of the problem areas, and you will need to reschedule (and pay for) a new inspection once the unit is properly cleaned.

What happens if my property fails the lab (dust) test?

If the visual inspection passes but the lab results show lead dust levels above the EPA-mandated threshold, the unit fails the clearance exam. You will need to re-clean the areas that failed, and potentially perform remediation, before paying for a re-test.[10]

What are the most common fail points for a clearance exam?

The vast majority of failures are preventable. The most common fail points are:

• Visible dust on window sills.[16]
• Visible dust in window troughs (the “well” the window sits in).[16, 10]
• Paint chips on floors or porches.[16]
• Visible dust or debris on floors, especially in corners and under radiators.[9, 10]
• Bare soil near the foundation of the building.[16, 10]

Is my owner-occupied unit exempt?

Yes. If you are the owner and you live in the unit, your property is exempt from the Lead Safe Certification law. This exemption does not apply to other units in a multi-family dwelling that you own but do not occupy.[2, 3, 6, 7]

List of Sources

1. Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition (General Info): This is the main hub for the program, explaining its public health goals.
   • Link: https://leadsafe.clevelandohio.gov
2. Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition (Landlord/Property Owner Portal): This is the “master” source that covers almost all the points cited with [2], including the 6-step process, financial aid, cleaning guides, and the link to the Citizen Access Portal.
   • Link: https://leadsafe.clevelandohio.gov/landlords-property-owners
3. Cleveland City Ordinance (Full Text): This is the actual law, (Ord. No. 646-2019), which legally defines what a “Lead Safe” property is and who is exempt.
   • Link: https://www.clevelandcitycouncil.org/legislation/ord-646-2019
4. Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition (6-Step Process): This is the specific page outlining the 6 steps for landlords.
   • Link: https://leadsafe.clevelandohio.gov/landlords-property-owners/lead-safe-6-steps
5. City of Cleveland Citizen Access Portal: This is the official city portal where landlords apply for the certification.
   • Link: https.citizens.clevelandohio.gov/citizenaccess/
6. City of Cleveland Dept. of Building & Housing (Lead Safe Page): The city’s official page summarizing the ordinance and exemptions.
   • Link: https://www.clevelandohio.gov/node/22026
7. Ohio Department of Health (ODH) – Lead Inspection Types: The ODH defines the different types of inspections (Risk Assessment, Lead-Free/LIRA, Clearance).
   • Link: https://odh.ohio.gov/know-our-programs/lead-licensure (This page lists the rules for certified professionals)
8. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – RRP Rule: This is the federal “Renovation, Repair, and Painting” rule requiring RRP-certified contractors.
   • Link: https://www.epa.gov/lead/renovation-repair-and-painting-program
9. Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition (Resource Center – Cleaning): This page provides the specific “Environmental Cleaning” guidelines.
   • Link: https://leadsafe.clevelandohio.gov/lead-safe-resource-center (This hub links to the specific cleaning guides for landlords)
10. Ohio Department of Health (ODH) – Clearance Standards: This source defines the pass/fail dust-wipe thresholds (in line with EPA) and the visual inspection rules that certified inspectors must follow.
    • Link: https://odh.ohio.gov/know-our-programs/residential-lead-hazard-control/lead-hazard-control/clearance-examination
11. (See #7) – The Ohio Department of Health defines the inspection types.
12. Ohio Department of Taxation – Lead Abatement Tax Credit: The official state page explaining the tax credit.
    • Link: https://tax.ohio.gov/individual/credits/lead-abatement-tax-credit
13. Ohio Department of Health – Lead Abatement Tax Credit Info: The ODH’s page explaining the program from a health perspective.
    • Link: https://odh.ohio.gov/know-our-programs/lead-abatement-tax-credit-program/lead-abatement-tax-credit-program
14. Ohio Department of Development – “Lead Safe Ohio” Program: This is the main page for the state-funded grant program.
    • Link: https://development.ohio.gov/community/redevelopment/lead-safe-ohio-program
15. Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition (Financial Assistance): The specific page detailing grants and loans available to Cleveland landlords.
    • Link: https://leadsafe.clevelandohio.gov/landlords-property-owners/financial-assistance
16. Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition (Clearance Exam Checklist): This is a practical checklist for landlords that details the common fail points (dust on sills, troughs, bare soil, etc.).
    • Link: This is often a downloadable PDF from the Resource Center (#9). A good direct link is from the Environmental Health Watch (a partner): https.www.ehw.org/clearance-checklists-for-landlords-tenants