Lorain County, state officials urge contractors to join CHIP and Lead Safe Ohio as Feb. 28 deadline nears

Lorain County officials and state housing staff told a packed contractor outreach forum that the county needs more contractors to bid on federally and state-funded home-repair projects and that a short execution window makes "time is of the essence," County Community and Economic Development head Dave Greenspan said.

The outreach combined county CHIP (community housing improvement) work and Ohio's Lead Safe Ohio program. The discussion covered who may bid, required certifications, available state training and capital assistance, and county steps to reduce administrative barriers. "We are in great need of contractors," Brandy of Kleinfelder, the county's CHIP consultant, told attendees.

County and state officials said the state's Lead Safe Ohio initiative placed roughly $95 million statewide into home renovations; officials said Lorain County's share is about $1.5 million to $1.8 million (figures given by Ohio Department of Development staff during the forum). Matthew Spees of the Ohio Department of Development said the program has "a pretty short window to get that executed," and urged contractors to get certified and bid quickly.

Most immediate facts

- Who spoke: Dave Greenspan (head, Lorain County Community and Economic Development), Brandy (Kleinfelder, CHIP consultant), James Good (rehab specialist, CHIP program), Matthew Spees (Ohio Department of Development), and state lead liaisons John and Keith (Ohio Department of Development).

- Funding: speakers said about $1.5'$1.8 million remains in Lorain County for Lead Safe Ohio projects; the statewide Lead Safe Ohio appropriation was described as $95,000,000. The state also described a capital assistance grant that can reimburse qualifying contractor start-up expenses, "up to a hundred thousand dollars," for firms becoming…