Renters at Risk

Every year, roughly 500 children in Rhode Island are found to have dangerous levels of lead in their blood, in most instances the result of living amidst toxic paint.

Exposure to lead, even at low levels, can lead to lower IQ levels, reduced academic performance, and behavioral conditions like ADHD. Children in families with low-incomes experience lead poisoning at disproportionate rates. Black and Hispanic children are more likely than white children to experience lead poisoning, too.

But experts say this is a preventable problem.

For most rental housing, Rhode Island law requires landlords to regularly inspect units and obtain “lead certificates” showing they’re safe from immediate lead hazards, like peeling or pulverized paint. A new investigation by The Public’s Radio reveals that landlords rarely face consequences for failing to obtain the certificates, leaving tenants in the dark about the potential hazards in their homes.

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Edson Pereira and Suany Ortiz walk into their new home. While living in a previous apartment, a test showed their daughter had been lead poisoned.

RI landlords are required to ensure their units are safe from lead paint. But who checks?

Roughly 500 children a year in Rhode Island are lead poisoned, often due to exposure to old lead paint.

A test showed Sofia, 2 years old, had an elevated level of lead in her blood while the family lived in this Central Falls apartment.

To prevent lead poisoning, Central Falls is turning up the heat on landlords

The city has been lauded for its program prodding landlords to certify their units as lead-safe. Now, it’s trading carrots for sticks.

Peeling paint in older houses, like this one in Central Falls, can expose toxic lead-based paint, a particular concern to childrens’ health.

Rhode Island could lose millions in funding to repair and remove lead paint

The federal government has sent $16.8 million to cover the costs of abating hazardous lead paint in old housing. Now, it’s a race to spend the money before it must be returned.

A door hanger describes the risks of lead poisoning in Spanish.

Concerned about lead paint in your home? Here are some places to look for help.

Rhode Island has several resources to help tenants and landlords deal with lead-based paint

Do you have experience with lead poisoning? Please contact us to share your story. Email Nina Sparling at nsparling@thepublicsradio.org or call 401-626-0389.

Renters at Risk was reported by Nina Sparling and edited by Jeremy Bernfeld. It was produced as a project for the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism’s 2023 National Fellowship