DETROIT (WXYZ) — After more than 10 years of being paid to make sure hundreds of homes in metro Detroit are free of lead and safe to live in, the state of Michigan put a stop order on a work contract with ClearCorps Detroit.
This after an investigation into a child that had continued high blood lead levels. The child lives in a home ClearCorps had been paid to make “lead safe”.
"The home was visited, there were remaining lead hazards in the home. After that a few other homes were checked, there were determined to be some remaining lead hazards in those," Lynn Sutfin with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services told me over the phone.
In all of these homes, she says investigators found lead paint.
We called ClearCorps multiple times trying to find out what happened. Then visited the office, but no one was there. Someone finally called back but wouldn’t answer any questions
They have issued the following statement:
Creating lead safe and healthy homes for Detroit’s children and families is CLEARCorps Detroit’s top priority. For the past 15 years, CLEARCorps Detroit has partnered with MDHHS to remediate upwards of 1,000 homes throughout the City of Detroit. We greatly value our partnership with the State of Michigan and look forward to continuing to work together to help Detroit’s children. CLEARCorps Detroit welcomes the State’s due diligence and joins in their effort to protect children. We take the State’s concerns with the utmost seriousness. Our goal is one and the same; to ensure that every Detroit child is able to grow up in a lead safe home. The CLEARCorps Executive Board supports CLEARCorps Detroit and stands behind the organization and its commitment to quality and service.
For now the state has put their contract on hold.
"Our staff has taken over that role and is currently overseeing any projects that were in the works by ClearCorps as well as any additional projects that come up." says Suftin.
Which is a big job considering Clearcorps used around 20 sub-contractors according to the website.
And while they can’t do work *for the state right now, ClearCorps can still work *in the state.
"It is my understanding that if they have other contracts, yes, they could be doing work. It is possible," says Suftin.
The state with the help of the City of Detroit contacted the hundreds of homes serviced to make them aware of potential lead danger.
If you have a concern about lead in your home, call 1-866-691-5323
