Madigan sues Berwyn apartment building owner over lead paint

Attorney General Lisa Madigan is suing a Berwyn landlord for violating the Lead Poisoning Prevention Act.

According to the suit, Patricia Groves, the owner and landlord of an apartment building at 1817 S. Grove Ave., failed to fix cracked and peeling paint in one of the apartments after a child under 6 years old living there tested for high levels of lead exposure, according to Madigan’s office and tests by the Cook County Department of Public Health confirmed the presence of lead paint in the apartment.

Madigan said she has obtained an interim court order that the apartment can’t be occupied until the lead is removed and the Department of Public Health gives clearance.

Paint containing lead is common in homes built before 1978, when the federal government banned it for health reasons. It poses a hazard when it’s eaten or when it cracks or flakes and emits dust particles.

“There’s no reason any child should be exposed to lead paint, but the unfortunate reality is that it remains an ongoing concern and poses very serious health risks,” Madigan said.