Oakland Residents Continue to be Poisoned by Lead

After receiving millions of dollars in a lead paint settlement, the city of Oakland has yet to spend the funds accordingly, continuing to leave residents exposed to the toxic metal in their homes and schools.

An investigation done by El Tímpano revealed that almost $5 million from a 2019 lead paint settlement has remained untouched despite the high risk of lead exposure, which is directly affecting Latino immigrant neighborhoods. Studies show that Oakland residents are exposed to some of the highest levels of lead in the state of California. Not only is it estimated that around 80,000 rental homes in Oakland contain lead-based paint, it’s been reported that the water from at least 30 schools in the area have dangerously high levels of lead. Oakland neighborhood Fruitvale has been reported to have more lead poisoned children than Flint, Michigan. There are no safe levels of lead exposure, and it can be the cause of developmental and neurological issues and kidney failure, especially in children.

Calls for Immediate Action from Alameda County Officials

The Joint Powers Authority (JPA) Board of Directors for the Alameda County Lead Poisoning Prevention Program is now urging Oakland’s city council to begin using their funding, and to allocate some of the money from the lead paint settlement to the Oakland School District (OUSD) to work towards ridding their schools’ water of lead.

The city of Oakland is responding by clarifying that the settlement money cannot be used to resolve the issue of lead in school water, because it was allocated specifically for paint contamination issues. Despite this, residents still believe at least a portion of that money should be used to protect their children. Alex Bledsoe, a public commenter at an Oakland City Council meeting said, “We have the settlement money and we know about the problem. Why are our kids still being poisoned?”

Impact on Oakland Families

Yazmin Alvarez, an Oakland mother, shares her story with El Tímpano about facing serious health risks from lead exposure in her home. At just 26-years-old Alvarez learned that her kidneys were failing, a symptom of lead exposure. She has also raised her 4-year-old daughter in a lead contaminated environment and fears for her future. Her story underscores the urgent need for Oakland to allocate its resources to protect its residents and children from lead, especially in marginalized communities.

“A city’s failure to act on lead contamination is unacceptable, especially when it disproportionately impacts vulnerable communities like the Latino immigrant families already burdened by substandard housing in the area,” says Luis Inocente, habitability lawyer at Custodio & Dubey. “The health and future of children should be a top priority and it’s unfortunate that the city’s allocated settlement funds have remained untouched while lead exposure persists in schools and homes. Every day that passes without action puts more children at risk in school and at home. Everyone deserves a hazard free home and the lack of resources is not an issue here.”

Looking Forward: The Push for Timely Action

Oakland is now projected to begin using the settlement funds in 2025. Although a timeline is now set, we know those at risk will continue to suffer at the hands of bureaucratic delays, leaving vulnerable communities exposed to serious health risks. The slow pace of action prolongs the dangers for residents already dealing with the consequences of lead exposure.