Cleveland Councilman Fined for Violating Rental Rules He Helped Create

Councilman Kevin Bishop received seven $200 fines for ignoring Cleveland's rental registration and lead-safety requirements.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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Cleveland Councilman Kevin Bishop, who voted to create $200 code-violation fines for landlords who fail to register rental properties and obtain lead-safe certificates, has been hit with seven such fines for his own rental homes. City inspectors issued the tickets just two days after a news report revealed Bishop had ignored these rules for years at properties he owns.

Why it matters

This case highlights the challenges Cleveland faces in enforcing its rental and lead-safety laws, which are meant to protect residents from hazardous living conditions. As a councilman who helped create these rules, Bishop's violations raise questions about accountability and whether elected officials are held to the same standards as other landlords.

The details

Inspectors issued Bishop two tickets each at his Imperial Avenue and Rexford Avenue properties - one for failure to register as a rental and one for failure to obtain a lead-safe certificate. He received one ticket at his Martin Luther King Jr. Drive home for failure to register it as vacant, and two tickets at his Miles Avenue residence for failure to register as a rental and failure to obtain a lead-safe certificate, even though he lives there. Bishop has since filed paperwork to register all four of his rental homes.

  • On February 16, 2026, city inspectors issued seven $200 tickets to Councilman Bishop.
  • On February 14, 2026, cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer published a story reporting that Bishop had ignored the city's rental and lead-safety laws for years.

The players

Kevin Bishop

A Cleveland city councilman who received seven $200 fines for failing to register his rental properties and obtain lead-safe certificates, despite voting to impose those requirements on other landlords.

Cleveland

The city that requires landlords to register rental properties annually and hire private inspectors to test for and fix lead hazards before a property can be leased.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights the need for elected officials to be held accountable to the same standards as other landlords when it comes to complying with rental and lead-safety laws, which are crucial for protecting public health in Cleveland.