Four community advocacy organizations and four private Buffalo residents are appealing a court case against the city to enforce its Proactive Rental Inspections Law.
It is supposed to protect residents in rental housing from health and safety concerns, like lead paint and collapsed roofs, but the number of children with high amounts of lead in their blood is more than 1,200 through 2023, PPG Interim Executive Director Sarah Wooton said.
"We've known about the dangers of lead paint for more than 45 years, and the rates of lead poisoning in our city are clearly unacceptable," she said. "And of course, beside the risk of lead paint, thousands of city residents live in housing that hasn't been checked for fire safety, functioning utilities and other health harming conditions like mold, asbestos and rodents.”
There are around 36,000 properties that should be inspected, Wooton said. From 2020 to 2022, 4,334 residential units were inspected, and 156 certificates of compliance issued, according to reports from the city's Office of Permit and Inspection Services. From 2023 to 2024, there were 2,944 inspections with 982 certificates of compliance, while 2025 had 1,207 inspections through mid-March and 275 certificates issued.
The City of Buffalo has declined a request for comment.
The need for a court case demonstrates a lack of courage and leadership by the city,
PUSH Buffalo Executive Director Dawn Wells-Clyburn said.
“The City of Buffalo is breaking the law. Let's be clear about that. They passed the law and then they broke it, and now (They’re) trying to repeal the foundations that really allow the people to speak and the people to have healthy communities and healthy homes," she said. "At PUSH Buffalo, we believe that our homes should not hurt us; we believe that renters deserve better.”
Acting Mayor Chris Scanlon has hired additional inspectors, but knowing up-to-date numbers is difficult because they are released annually, Wooton said.
She is hopeful that whoever is elected mayor this fall, they will more readily support rental property inspections.
