Toledo Housing and Community Development Committee Meeting - March 26, 2026

The Housing and Community Development and Public Health Committee of the Toledo City Council met on March 26, 2026, at 3:30 PM. The meeting featured a presentation on sickle cell disease and trait awareness from the S.C.O.T.T. Center, followed by a discussion on a Lead Hazard Reduction Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Council members and the public provided comments and testimony on both topics.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Sheree Barhe, a grandmother of sickle cell warriors and trait carrier, spoke on the challenges of fatigue and pain associated with the trait.
• Joyce Doublefil of the Sickle Cell Support Group highlighted the broader family impact, including school attendance issues for siblings caring for ill family members.
• Taquila Smith, who has sickle cell anemia, described significant obstacles including a school teacher discarding her daughter's make-up work despite a doctor's note, her husband's employer (Amazon) denying FMLA requests, and lack of local healthcare options requiring travel to Cleveland.
• Kelly Mofield, Executive Director of the Kidney Foundation of Northwest Ohio, noted the connection between kidney disease and sickle cell and the shared health disparities affecting communities of color.
• Chelsea Benton of the American Red Cross announced a partnership with Dr. Scott to increase minority blood donations for sickle cell patients.
• Emily Mills, a Special Education Coordinator, advocated for parents to learn their rights regarding 504 plans to ensure schools properly accommodate students with sickle cell.
• Blair Johnson, a licensed abatement contractor and risk assessor, urged council to approve the Lead Hazard Reduction Grant, argued rejecting it "would be a bad idea," and requested the city conduct greater outreach to licensed contractors and trade schools to build a workforce for lead abatement.

Discussion Items

Sickle Cell Disease Awareness and the S.C.O.T.T. Center

• Dr. Scott, founder of the S.C.O.T.T. Center (established 2022), presented information on the organization, which serves 11 counties in Northwest Ohio and is the first and only nonprofit in the state providing transition programs for sickle cell patients combating mental health.
  • She stated approximately 1 in 365 African Americans and 1 in 16,300 Hispanic Americans are impacted by the disease.
  • She emphasized that sickle cell is not exclusively a disease impacting Black communities and addressed myths regarding patient life expectancy and drug-seeking stigmas.
  • Dr. Scott reported counseling roughly 300 families of trait babies and 10 to 15 families of babies with the disease annually. A preliminary study linked food deserts to higher hospitalization rates.
• Emory Scott, 11-year-old Sickle Cell Child Ambassador for Ohio, gave a personal testimony about living with sickle cell, his desire to become a civil engineer, and his plea for community support and access to care.
• Councilmembers expressed strong support for the organization’s work.
  • Councilmember Gaddis inquired about the intersection of sickle cell and housing access, given job instability and disability challenges.
  • Councilmember Clay asked about school accommodations and local data.
  • The committee chair offered to assist in promoting the organization’s awareness events.

Lead Hazard Reduction Grant

• Deputy Director Colina Ali and Program Manager Jerry Kukowski of the Department of Housing and Community Development presented the HUD Lead Hazard Reduction Grant.
  • The four-year, highly competitive grant is budgeted to target 141 homes.
  • The budget allocates 82% of funds to direct costs, with only 1.8% to administrative costs. $55,000 over four years is allocated for marketing and outreach, focusing on 41 high-risk census tracks.
  • The program will prioritize homes with health department orders due to lead-poisoned children.
  • A new federal requirement regarding proof of citizenship for applicants remains an unresolved question.
• Candice Buckley, Executive Director of the Lead Resource Center, expressed passion for the initiative and stated the center is planned to be located at Swain Field. She announced upcoming presentations at the Ohio Housing Network to share Toledo’s strategies.
• Councilmember Gaddis requested regular updates on the grant’s progress following implementation, noted the importance of the grant given federal funding constraints, and stated the grant "will change lives."
• The committee discussed how the grant complements the city’s lead safe ordinance and other local lead abatement funds.

Key Outcomes

• The committee received an informational presentation on sickle cell disease from the S.C.O.T.T. Center; no formal action was taken, but council members pledged to support awareness efforts and follow up on policy issues raised by public testimony.
• The Lead Hazard Reduction Grant ordinance was discussed and received strong verbal support from the committee. A vote by the full city council was anticipated the following week.
• The committee requested that the Department of Housing and Community Development provide regular updates on the implementation and progress of the lead grant.