Councilman Seeks Federal Help With Lead Paint Case

BALTIMORE (AP) -- A Baltimore city councilman says he plans to ask federal officials to help force the city's housing authority into paying one of the court-ordered lead poisoning judgments against it.

Housing Commissioner Paul Graziano has said the authority simply can't afford to pay nearly $12 million from lawsuits filed by people exposed to lead paint. Councilman James B. Kraft tells The Baltimore Sun that he is "very dissatisfied" with Graziano's refusal to seek federal approval to pay a $200,000 judgment involving a former public housing resident.

The agency reached an agreement in 2009 with Daron E. Goods, but then refused to pay the amount that was agreed upon and has been fighting subsequent efforts to collect.

Kraft says he plans to contact federal housing officials soon.

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