Lorain County commissioners on Oct. 24 approved three contracts to repair homes through community-development housing programs and received a detailed report on a contractor outreach campaign and upcoming free training sessions to boost contractor participation in CHIP (County Home Improvement Program) and Lead Safe work.

The contracts approved will be financed from program year 2023 CHIP and LSO accounts. The board awarded a $13,156 contract to GenMet Construction (L and C McBay, 35157 Center Ridge Road, Lot 154, North Ridgeville); a $7,370 contract for work at 1110 East Avenue, Elyria (Sylvia L. Oliver) described as porch and handrail replacement and HUD cleaning; and a $31,707.50 contract to Gemmet Construction (Edward B. Greer, 404 Oxford Avenue, Elyria) covering porch replacement, interior water-supply lines and an exterior water-mainline replacement. Commissioners voted to approve each contract during the meeting.

Community development staff told the board the county has mailed 2,700 postcards, sent about 700 direct emails, issued two press releases, and run social media campaigns aimed at recruiting contractors to bid on CHIP and Lead Safe projects. Staff said the outreach directed contractors to a page with program requirements and application materials, and included tiny URLs and QR codes linking to the full public release and application.

Garvin, community development staff, described the program requirements contractors must meet to qualify to bid: an EPA firm certificate, EPA RRP training (for work in buildings built before 1978), lead-abatement certificates and licenses for abatement work, bonding, and other standard contractor qualifications. He said some training will be provided in partnership with Mahoning County and that Lead Safe training and RRP classes will be offered; the immediate contractor workshop dates are Oct. 29 with sessions at 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Garvin said the trainings are free.

Staff reported limited initial sign-ups from contractors: nine registrants so far, five of them businesses and three from Lorain County. Commissioners and staff said further outreach is planned, including repeat sessions in January and coordination with Lorain County Community College and local vocational programs to create certification classes.

One commissioner noted the county has seen progress in program administration and training but also flagged the recurring problem of low bid participation on CHIP jobs; a separate commissioner said he would not cast a “yes” vote on a single-bid contract in the future though he would not block the current award. The meeting packet and staff remarks made clear some contracts earlier in the year received single bids and the county is working to increase contractor participation.

The county also noted related local activity: press coverage by Spectrum News, Chronicle-Telegram and cleveland.com, efforts to include nearby counties in outreach, and a plan to post event flyers and materials to the county website and YouTube recording of the meeting.

Garvin said the outreach effort is intended to broaden the pool of eligible contractors so grant dollars for home repairs and lead abatement can be spent and projects completed in Lorain County.