Cleveland plans new Community Development director after Ohio reclaims $3.3 million unspent lead-remediation grant funds
A leadership search follows the loss of time-limited state funding
Cleveland officials say they expect to hire a new director for the city’s Department of Community Development within weeks, a move that comes as the city confronts questions about how it manages housing-related grants and project delivery timelines.
The hiring effort follows the state’s decision to reclaim $3.3 million that Cleveland did not spend before a deadline tied to a lead-remediation award administered through the Ohio Department of Development. City officials disclosed that Cleveland spent about $1.6 million of the $4.9 million award and completed lead-related work on 26 homes, with additional projects already in the pipeline allowed to proceed under the remaining eligible funding.
What the city says slowed spending
City administrators have described the grant structure as a key obstacle to meeting the spending deadline. The program capped investments at $15,000 per home and focused on door and window replacements—measures that can reduce lead exposure but may not be sufficient, on their own, to bring many older homes into compliance with required lead-clearance standards when broader hazards are present.
Officials also pointed to administrative and compliance steps common to public housing and health-safety programs, including eligibility verification, property conditions that require multiple funding sources, and the need to coordinate inspections, risk assessments, contractors and final clearance testing.
- State reclaimed funds: $3.3 million
- Total award amount cited by the city: $4.9 million
- Amount spent before the deadline: about $1.6 million
- Homes remediated using the grant to date: 26
- Per-home cap described by the city: $15,000
How the funding loss intersects with Cleveland’s housing reality
Cleveland’s aging housing stock increases the complexity of lead work. A large share of the city’s homes were built before 1978, the year lead-based paint was banned for residential use in the United States. Lead exposure can occur through deteriorating paint, contaminated household dust and soil, and it is widely recognized as a significant health risk for children.
Public health leaders have said the city still has multiple active federal lead-related grants and that childhood lead poisoning rates have declined in Cleveland for a second consecutive year. At the same time, advocates and some residents have raised concerns that missed deadlines and slow processing translate into long wait times for families seeking help.
City leaders have said departments are working on closer coordination to avoid future funding clawbacks tied to grant deadlines.
What happens next
City officials say the new Community Development director will be expected to strengthen execution across grant programs that require strict documentation, contracting and performance benchmarks. In the near term, administrators have said ongoing lead projects already under contract will move forward, while the state reallocates the reclaimed funds to other communities that are further along in deploying similar grant dollars.
The hiring timeline, alongside the city’s continued management of remaining federal lead grants, is expected to be central to upcoming discussions about operational changes, interdepartmental collaboration, and the pace at which Cleveland can deliver home-based hazard reduction work at scale.