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Cleveland, OH

Fake door hanger scam targets Northeast Ohio residents

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Fake door hanger scam targets Northeast Ohio residents


CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – A new scam involving fake door hangers is spreading across Northern Ohio, prompting warnings from the Better Business Bureau.

The fraudulent flyers feature bright orange or green paper with bold “URGENT” warnings that demand residents call a private investigator immediately.

The Better Business Bureau says the door hangers have appeared from Toledo to Sandusky and now Cleveland.

“They are asking you to react. It is a warning, we need to hear from you. You are in violation of some city code. Please contact us and we have seen two different phone numbers listed on those door hangers,” said Ericka Dilworth, VP of Operations for Cleveland BBB.

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The flyers claim an investigation is underway and cite “ORC 4749.0.”

However, when BBB staff called the numbers listed on the hangers, they were not connected to any private investigator.

“It just rings. So there is no way to know what is the end game,” Dilworth said.

In Streetsboro, Police Chief Patricia Wain said her department does use door hangers for legitimate purposes, but there are clear differences from the fake ones.

“We use them for a variety of reasons. Typically if want to let someone know that we were at their house or their place of business. To notify someone that we were their for an alarm drop and we found a door that was open or a window that was open,” Wain said.

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Legitimate police door hangers display the police departments name at the top with their phone number directly underneath.

Wain advises residents to always call their local police department to verify information.

“Make sure the phone number is accurate. That is going to be your first line of defense because I could put any phone number on any of these cards and you could be calling whoever,” Wain said.

If residents find one of the fake hangers on their door, they should not call the number listed. Instead, they should report it to local police and the BBB, then throw it away.

“The scammers are out there. They are working hard. It is their job and we have to keep up with them and find the new ones and try to stop them from getting away with it,” Wain said.

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Cleveland, OH

Man shot on Cleveland’s West Side

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Man shot on Cleveland’s West Side


CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – A man was shot in Cleveland’s Cudell neighborhood Tuesday night.

Cleveland Police 1st District officers responded to the 10100 block of Madison Ave around 9:00 P.M.

A man approximately 45 years of age was found with a gunshot wound.

EMS took the victim to MetroHealth Hospital. This incident remains under investigation.

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There is no information on any suspects or arrests.

Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.



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Cleveland, OH

Leaders in Washington and Cleveland take aim at affordable housing in Northeast Ohio

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Leaders in Washington and Cleveland take aim at affordable housing in Northeast Ohio


CLEVELAND — Ahead of her Third Annual Housing Expo this Saturday at Tri-C Corporate College East, Rep. Shontel Brown (D-OH) rolled out her Safe and Affordable Housing Agenda on Tuesday. It’s a series of four bills aimed at lowering home costs while strengthening lead paint and pipe abatement.

“We wanted to bring something forward that would improve the living conditions, to make things more affordable and more accessible for not only the constituents of Ohio’s 11th Congressional District but those who are experiencing the same challenge across the country,” Brown told News 5.

The Housing Supply Fund Act is legislation that encourages the building of more affordable housing by filling financing gaps that are holding back construction. The legislation would establish a competitive program within the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund to address financing gaps that prevent otherwise viable housing projects from moving forward.

“We want to make sure we do not give up on affordable housing; we want to make sure that it is more accessible,” Brown said.

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There is also the Affordable Housing Preservation and Protection Act, which is legislation to maintain and preserve existing HUD-assisted housing. This legislation establishes a new HUD preservation authority to provide targeted financing and intervention tools for distressed HUD-assisted multifamily properties at risk of deterioration, foreclosure, or loss of affordability.

The bill is designed to help preserve affordable housing, facilitate responsible ownership transitions, and protect existing federal housing investments serving seniors, working families, and vulnerable residents.

The other two bills introduced deal with the issue of lead abatement. The GET THE LEAD OUT Act of 2026 would create a new federal grant program to replace lead pipes, fixtures, and taps. The legislation would create a broad federal framework to address lead in drinking water and housing by funding removal of lead-based pipe and tap hazards, establishing training and certification requirements, directing federal standards and state programs, and integrating lead plumbing remediation into major housing programs. Brown’s legislation creates new authorities and financing mechanisms to drive national action on residential lead plumbing hazards.

The Removing Existing Pipes with Lead and Advancing Clean Environments (or REPLACE) Act improves existing lead paint and lead pipe removal programs within the federal government. This legislation would amend existing HUD and Safe Drinking Water Act authorities to strengthen lead-paint hazard remediation in housing, improve local implementation capacity, and better coordinate paint and pipe removal efforts.

“We know that this has been a longstanding issue in the City of Cleveland,” she said. “What we’re doing is trying to supplement and amplify the opportunities to be able to address these issues that have long-standing impacts in our community.”

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Brown’s announcement comes on the heels of the Bibb administration’s announcement of the creation of the Housing Innovation District, a 1,500-acre swath of land covering St. Clair, Superior and Hough where efforts will begin this summer to repopulate streets that have lost more than half of their homes in recent decades with new housing starting on East 67th south of St. Clair, where ten homes will go up later this year.

A recent New York Times piece cited that among the barriers to building more housing are restrictive zoning and permitting, something the city addresses in this district.

“One of the big things that we’re doing is eliminating permit fees for single-family home construction, which is again a real sort of barrier to this sort of work,” said Tom McNair, Mayor Justin Bibb’s Chief of Integrated Development.

They also established what they call a “Pattern Book,” where they’ve pre-approved designs for certain types of homes in this district to speed up the process.

“When there’s a vacant lot that the city owns, it will be like this is the home you want, this is the lot you want to build on, here’s your permit,” he said.

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Congresswoman Brown sees their efforts helping citizens towards the same goal.

“Our legislation would dovetail perfectly into what the mayor is putting forth as well,” she said. “People are doing all of the right things, they’re working hard, but they’re still having trouble getting ahead, and we want to be able to again address that gap as it relates to the opportunity to build wealth in our community, and this legislation will certainly help put people on a pathway to do that.”

Part of that pathway includes Brown’s Housing Expo for constituents of the 11th Congressional District. “It’s a one-stop shop for everything housing, so whether you are a renter or whether you are a first-time home buyer, whether you are looking to renovate, whether you are a senior that’s aging in place. We wanted to bring every aspect of the housing industry under one umbrella, and so we will do that.”

Constituents can register for the free event here.





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Cleveland, OH

Fire crews battle Cleveland duplex blaze, ammunition heard popping inside

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Fire crews battle Cleveland duplex blaze, ammunition heard popping inside


CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The Cleveland Division of Fire responded to a 2 1/2 story side-by-side duplex fire Monday afternoon.

According to Cleveland Fire, the call came in just after 5 p.m. at 2154 and 2156 W 98th St.

The fire started in a second floor bedroom that spread to the attic.

Due to the size of the house and the volume of the fire, an extra engine and ladder companies were called to assist.

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Cleveland Fire said a total of eight adults and three children were displaced from the fire and the Red Cross was called to assist.

Fire crews battle Cleveland duplex blaze, ammunition heard popping inside(Source: WOIO)

Firearms were inside the structure and firefighters said they could hear ammunition going off as they fought the fire.

The fire also extended to an old tree that caught fire.

Total estimated loss is $120,000, Cleveland Fire said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation and no injuries were reported.

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