Two Syracuse landlords must pay families who were lead poisoned while living in their properties under a settlement with the state attorney general’s office. The father and son duo must also pay for lead inspections and remediation.
Brian and Harry Murphy have been in business since the 1970’s. They own and manage dozens of rental properties.
“So I know my mother when I was a child rented from the Murphys," said Oceanna Fair, Chair of Families for Lead Freedom Now. "So I've known about them for that long and I'm in my fifties now.”
Fair said before the attorney general’s office got involved, many properties fell through the cracks and weren’t remediated.
“So this is huge that the amount of properties that they manage will be significantly reduced and that the attorney general will be following through to make sure that there are repairs to those properties so that future tenants moving in aren't harmed." she said.
The AG’s investigation found between 2017 and 2025, nearly two dozen of the Murphy’s properties were cited hundreds of times for deteriorating paint and other lead hazards. The AG said at least seven children were found to have elevated blood lead levels while living in those homes. As part of the settlement, the Murphys must pay $35,000 to set up a tenant relief fund for the children’s families.
“It's not a lot when you think about a lifetime injury, but it's certainly much more than what these families were getting prior to the AG stepping in," Fair said. She said the money can be used for specialists and other care.
“I take care of my brother, who is 46 now, and nothing like that was available to him. So he's fully dependent on us for his care.”
Fair's brother was lead poisoned when he was two. Lead causes irreversible neurological and developmental harm, especially under age 6. She said lead violation investigations often uncover other issues at rental properties as well.
“Once we get in the door, we find out that there are so many other violations that these families are living with that definitely need correcting," Fair said. "So even by the AG getting this settlement, we know that those homes at least will come back into the market and be safe and healthy for families to move into.”
Plus, she said, other landlords are taking notice and are trying to get into compliance before the attorney general comes after them.
