Cleveland’s trouble managing federal housing dollars has cost it a new $7.8 million grant to make homes lead safe, a city official said — even though the city had picked up the pace of work this year.
Federal officials rejected a recent application for a new lead grant because they deemed Cleveland too risky to manage the money, said Community Development Director Arin Miller-Tait. That rating reflects how the city handles several federal housing grants, not just those for lead hazards, she added.
Last year, the city nearly lost three federal grants meant to reduce lead hazards and other housing issues because it spent the money too slowly. It wasn’t the first time: The city has a long history of struggling to spend federal dollars on lead-safe housing, including losing a $2 million federal grant in 2012…