$12,500 Settlement for Not Deleading and then Discriminating

Here's an article we meant to link to in last month's newsletter:

Two area landlords resolve discrimination, lead paint allegations

The law offers no safety for landlords with lead in their apartments, even if they're keeping children away from dangerous conditions. This $12,500 fine would have paid to delead somewhere between one half and four units, depending on the extent of the lead. However expensive deleading may be, in this case it would have been a better use of their funds.

We strongly discourage against writing deleading status into a craigslist ad. If there's a conversation that needs to happen, you can have that conversation off-line and in a way that helps the prospective tenants find a better home. No one wants to live in a deleading construction site. In the meantime, we should all be working to get the funds to delead our apartments during vacancies.

Depending on your business model, you may wish to seek a deleading grant.

For landlords in Worcester, we have specific forms available for a city-administered program:

WLAP Overview (PDF, members only)

Tenant Application (PDF, members only)

Investor Application (PDF, members only)