Chicago's Secret Lead Crisis

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL.) called on federal and local government leaders to protect children from lead poisoning in homes and water systems at the Federal Plaza in Chicago on Monday morning. 

"In Chicago, 80 percent of the homes are connected to pipes that have lead," Durbin said.



 

In his speech, Durbin discussed recent studies that show the Department of Housing and Urban Development has been using less stringent guidelines to protect children who live in affordable housing from lead poisoning.

Currently, under the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) standards, a landlord is not required to address lead-based paint hazards until a child's blood is four times the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-recommended level. 


The Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act is one bill that Durbin, along with Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ.), Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN.) and Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL.), is introducing.  This act would require HUD to update its lead regulations to match standards set by the CDC. 


Durbin said that recent developments in Flint, Michigan have brought attention to the lead crisis in other cities, like Chicago, across the country.

"Flint really woke us up," Durbin said.


Durbin also discussed the CLEAR Act, which was introduced by Durbin and Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD.).  This act directs the Environmental Protection Agency to develop new ways to improve the reporting, testing and monitoring of lead and copper levels in America's drinking water.


Emily Benfer, director of the Health Justice Project at Loyola, also spoke that morning.  She  told the story of a mother who used her public housing voucher to live in a house on the West side of Chicago.  The woman later found that the house was contaminated with lead, but was not allowed to move her family into another home, until Benfer's Justice Project fought for her rights.  Benfer added that most people in this woman's situation do not know that they have any other options, so they stay living in these dangerous homes. 


Henry Henderson, the Director of the Midwest Natural Resources Defense Council, was present to speak on how his organization is "extremely supportive" of Durbin's cause.


"If you want to destroy a civilization, feed the people lead," Henderson said.