SOUTH SUBURBAN AIRPORT?

>>> NOW TO THE TOP STORY.

IS THE HIDDEN HEALTH HAZARD IN MOST CHICAGO HOMES.

LEAD PAINT HAS BEEN OUTLAWED IN CHICAGO SINCE 1978, BUT AN INVESTIGATION FOUND THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE HOUSING STOCK STILL CONTAINS TOXIC LEVELS AND MOST CHILDREN ARE NOT BEING TESTED REGULARLY.

ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES SAY COULD BE ELIMINATED IF THE CITY PROACTIVELY INSPECTED FOR LEAD INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR A RESIDENT TO REPORT ELEVATED LEVELS IN THE BLOOD.

ONE MOTHER HOPES THAT HURT TODDLERS TRAGIC STORY WILL PROVIDE A WAKE-UP CALL.

>> Reporter: LIKE ANY TWO-YEAR-OLD, HE IS AN ACTIVE CHILD.

BUT HIS MOTHER SAID HE IS IN THERAPY EVERY DAY FOR PHYSICAL , BEHAVIORAL, AND COGNITIVE HEALTH PROBLEMS.

SHE SAID SHE NOTICED SOMETHING WRONG IN OCTOBER 'S 18 MONTH CHECKUP.

>> HE WAS NOT TALKING , AND I DID NOTICE HE WAS EATING THINGS THAT WERE NOT FOOD.

>> Reporter: HE WAS SENT TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM FOR LEAD POISONING.

THEY CONSIDER ANYTHING OVER FIVE MICROGRAMS TO BE DEADLY.

HIS LEVEL WAS 76.

>> REALLY SCARY BECAUSE I DID NOT KNOW WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM.

WHERE WAS HE POISONED?

AND THEN WE FOUND OUT IT WAS IN OUR OWN HOME.

W.A.R.

THE MOST LIKELY SOURCE IS LEAD-BASED PAINT.

SHE IS THE DEPARTMENT MEDICAL DIRECTOR FOR MATERNAL, AND ADOLESCENT HEALTH.

SHE SAID A LEAD POISONING REPORT TRIGGERS AN INVESTIGATION.

INVESTIGATORS FOUND HAZARDS IN HALLWAYS AND STAIRWAYS AS WELL AS AN ROTTING WINDOWSILLS.

HE HAD BEEN EXPOSED FOR A YEAR INHALING DUST AND EATING PAINT CHIPS.

THE INSPECTOR SAID HE CAN RETURN HOME SAFELY ONCE THE AREAS WERE CLEANED.

BUT THE FAMILY DECIDED TO MOVE OUT.

PER FEDERAL LAW, LANDLORDS MUST NOTIFY TENANTS ABOUT KNOWN RISKS BEFORE THEY MOVE IN.

WE REACHED OUT TO THE LANDLORD BY PHONE.

HE ADMITTED HE FAILED TO DO SO, SAYING HE DID NOT KNOW THERE WERE ANY RISKS.

HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE LEAD WAS NOT ABATED.

THE CLEANUP COULD TAKE MONTHS.

>> THE INSPECTORS FOLLOW UP WITH THE OWNERS ON A MONTHLY BASIS TO ENSURE THAT IT IS HAPPENING AND THAT THEY ARE FOLLOWING UP AND MAKING THOSE REPAIRS TO THE PROPERTY.

FOUR ACCORDING TO MEDICAL RECORDS, HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A SERIES OF HEALTH PROBLEMS.

AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER, AND MODERATE COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT.

HOW MANY OF THESE ISSUES TYPICALLY CAN BE TIED TO LEAD POISONING?

>> ALL OF THEM.

LEAD IS A NEUROTOXIN.

>> Reporter: SHE IS THE HEAD OF A NONPROFIT THAT ADVOCATES FOR HEALTHY AND AFFORDABLE HOMES AND ADVOCATED FOR PROACTIVE INSPECTIONS OF LEAD-BASED PAINT.

>> IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED THAT IT WILL AFFECT A CHILD'S DEVELOPING BRAIN AND RESULTS IN THESE COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENTS AND LEARNING DISABILITIES AND BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS.

>> Reporter: THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN WITH ELEVATED LEAD LEVELS IN 2021 WAS LESS THAN 2%.

THAT IS DOWN FROM 70% IN 1996.

BUT LESS THAN 50% OF CHILDREN ARE BEING TESTED REGULARLY.

DATA FINDS THAT IN LOW INCOME AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, BETWEEN 30 AND 40% OF ALL RESIDENTS IN OLDER HOMES TESTED POSITIVE.

>> IN THOSE OLDER HOMES WE OFTEN FIND IS OFTENTIMES THAT PAINT IS STARTING TO DETERIORATE AND BREAK DOWN.

OREGON WHEN ASKED HOW MANY UNITS CONTAIN THE RISKS, A SPOKESPERSON SAID THEY FIND LET HAZARDS IN ABOUT 99% OF RESIDENCES BUILT BEFORE 1978.

>> WOULD NOT BE A SAFER SYSTEM IF THE CITY JUST REGULARLY INSPECTED ALL OF THESE UNITS REGARDLESS OF WHAT WAS BEING REPORTED?

>> I CAN ONLY SPEAK TO WHAT IS IN PLACE NOW.

I CANNOT FORECAST OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES.

W.A.R.

A PROPOSED ORDINANCE WOULD REQUIRE PERIODIC INSPECTION FOR ALL PRE-1978 UNITS.

DO WE HAVE THE POLITICAL WILL TO SAVE FUTURE GENERATIONS FROM THIS.

>> HE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO WHAT OTHER KIDS ARE DOING AND HE HAS NOT BEEN DOING THEM YET.

>> Reporter: HE IS STILL TESTING POSITIVE.

CDPH SAID THERE IS MONEY THAT CAN ASSIST OWNERS IN ABATING THE PROBLEM.