When a child is harmed by lead within the home, family life gets immediately upended. This was true for Michael and Eileen Buchanan, whose 14-month-old tested positive for elevated blood lead levels. A Chicago city inspector confirmed high lead levels throughout their unit.
Right away, Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan changed their lives to protect their child’s health. The Buchanan family began to look for a safe, lead-free place to move. Since they had neither the means nor the opportunity to move immediately, they altered their apartment unit. Their once-cozy home became unrecognizable.
The Buchanans, when possible, traveled to Michigan at their own expense to stay with family and to avoid their unit. Medical bills piled up. Mr. Buchanan had to take off work to focus on taking care of his 14-month-old, putting his job at risk. Adding to the stress was the terror of not knowing how the lead would impact their child, and whether their child would experience long-term health consequences commonly associated with elevated blood lead levels. With help from MTO’s Healthy Homes Organizer, LiMei Vera, and MTO’s Staff Attorney, Philip DeVon, the Buchanans were able to successfully negotiate with their Landlord. While they secured a lease termination agreement and ample relocation assistance, they did not come out unscathed.
The Buchanans’ story is representative of a larger problem faced by tenants in Chicago: without proactive inspections, great responsibility falls on tenants to protect their children from invisible hazards in the unit. When their children are harmed by lead in the unit, they must abruptly make great adjustments in order to keep their children safe. These adjustments are costly – both in terms of time and money – and occur during a time of emotional distress and turmoil. With stories like the Buchanans’ happening throughout the city, our response is clear: we need proactive inspections of all rental units in order to protect children and their families from hazards in the home.