News
A Reader
REAL Writes
Dear Shaker Life Editor,
SHAKER LIFE | SUMMER 2014 13
Housing Assistance Programs
for Exterior Maintenance:
Does Your Home Qualify?
Single- and two-family, owner-occupied
homes in the Ludlow, Moreland,
Lomond, and Sussex neighborhoods are
eligible for two grant programs to correct
exterior code violations cited by the
Housing Inspection Department.
• The Exterior Maintenance Grant
program provides up to $2,500 in
grant funds (with a required 10 percent
homeowner match) based on total cost
of repairs.
• The Free Paint program provides a
voucher to cover the cost of paint necessary
to correct exterior paint violations.
Both programs are also available
Citywide to owner-occupants who are
disabled and/or seniors age 62 years
and older.
Income qualifications apply to
all programs. The Housing Programs
Specialist can also provide information
on additional financial resources for
those who may not qualify for City
grant programs, as well as technical
assistance to help plan and execute home
improvement projects. See shakeronline.
com and search “exterior maintenance
grant” for more information, or contact
Sharra Thomas at 216-491-1434 or
sharra.thomas@shakeronline.com.
Sign up now for
Landlord Training Seminars
The Shaker Heights Landlord Training
program will be held Saturday, July 19
from 9 am - 1 pm, and in two parts on
Wednesday, October 15 and 22 from 5:30
- 7:30 pm at the Stephanie Tubbs Jones
Community Building, 3450 Lee Road.
It covers topics such as Ohio landlord/
tenant law, the eviction process, property
management, marketing strategies, and
the importance of tenant screening.
Registration is required; free for Shaker
Heights property owners and $30 for
non-Shaker property owners. To sign up
online, go to bit.ly/landlordtraining.
Contact Sharra Thomas at 216-491-1434
or sharra.thomas@shakeronline.com for
more information.
Shaker Renovators Upgrade
Houses, Grow the Tax Base
The Shaker Renovator program
encourages the purchase and high-quality
renovation of properties that are then put
back on the market at an increased value,
thereby growing the tax base.
In order to become a Shaker
Renovator, interested rehabbers must
have completed two qualified renovation
projects in the City in the previous
18 months. Once designated, Shaker
Renovators are exempt from having to
provide interior drawings (except those
required by the state), and are allowed
to put into escrow 100 percent of repair
costs, rather than 150 percent.
These are just some of the homes
currently on the market after rehabbing:
21900 Shaker Boulevard
Contact: eastside_suites@windstream.net
16300 South Park Boulevard
Contact: jablerino@hotmail.com
17600 Scottsdale Boulevard
Contact: sfrey26@gmail.com
For an updated property list, or for
contractors interested in becoming part
of the program, go to shakeronline.com/
for-residents/housing-incentives/renovation
program or call 216-491-1370.
I enjoyed reading the article “A Fernway
Duplex Gets a 10-Month DIY Make-
Over.” One of the many wonderful
aspects of living in Shaker is the effort
our neighbors make to improve the
quality of their homes. However, I want to
remind residents to be aware of the risk
of lead exposure when we renovate.
Lead poisoning remains an
important public health issue, particularly
in communities with older housing stock.
The Environmental Protection Agency’s
Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP)
regulations require that all contractors
be certified in lead safe work practices,
including these three simple procedures:
contain the work area, minimize dust,
and clean up thoroughly.
While lead safe certification is
not required of home owners, these
procedures should be taken seriously
for DIY or contracting out. Home
remodeling, including sanding or
scraping of old paint, can release lead
into the air and create lead dust and lead
chips that increase the danger of lead
poisoning. Even low levels of lead in
childhood can affect IQ, the ability to pay
attention, and academic achievement.
I am pleased to say that as a
community, Shaker has made great
strides in reducing lead poisoning.
Shaker has gone from 16.3% of our
children with elevated lead levels in
2004 to 3.2% in 2012. Our goal is zero!
These percentages are below the 2012
Cuyahoga County (11.1%) and first
ring suburb (6.9%) averages. The City’s
Building Department disseminates
information about RRP regulations to all
registered contractors, requiring that they
sign a statement acknowledging their
awareness of the regulations. Ultimately
it’s up to all Shaker homeowners —
whether working with contractors or
doing it ourselves — to assure that work
is being done safely. Healthy homes,
healthy Shaker!
Scott Frank, MD, MS
Director, Shaker Heights Health Department
NOTE: “Real Numbers”
(housing transfer information)
is now listed online at
shakeronline.com.