In response to a request from a city legislator, the San Francisco Department of Public Health conducted an HIA of a proposed city ordinance that would require city contractors and property leaseholders to pay their employees a “living wage” of $11.00 per hour. The HIA quantitatively estimated the potential health effects of the ordinance, predicting […]

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 9 (EPA) contracted with Human Impact Partners to develop the scope for a health impact assessment (HIA) of proposed expansion projects for the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, California. The process included public meetings to bring stakeholders together for input. The EPA hoped to use the scoping […]

This HIA adds to the scope of a previous HIA that examined the relationship between liquor outlets and violence.  The project team assessed the relationship between high concentrations of liquor outlets and violence, with the goal of informing the current ‘non-conforming alcohol outlet amortization proposal’ to ensure that amortized alcohol outlet licenses do not relocate […]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in collaboration with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health conducted an HIA to determine facilitators and barriers of a proposed food procurement policy in Los Angeles County. The proposed policy would require food purchasers, distributors, and vendors of food service to meet specified nutrition standards, including […]

Human Impact Partners, together with WISDOM and EX-Prisoners Organizing, conducted an HIA on the health impacts of Wisconsin’s revocation system on individuals and families. Revocation is re-incarceration for violating parole, probation, or extended supervision. It often does not result in a new criminal conviction. The HIA team reviewed literature and data from the Wisconsin Department […]

Located in the Houston metropolitan area, Pasadena is the second-largest city in Harris County, Texas, and is near two of the four largest refineries in the U.S. Pasadena’s Code of Ordinances states that the director of planning should coordinate the development of a city plan that covers multiple years. The HIA provided recommendations to the […]

This rapid health impact assessment (HIA), produced by a team of University of Washington graduate students, identifies potential health concerns and action items as the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) launches a multiyear effort designed to improve infrastructure in the area surrounding King Street Station in the Pioneer Square and Chinatown-International District neighborhoods. The King […]

This HIA, carried out by the Benton County Health Department, evaluated a series of policy-change scenarios to amend the existing county code for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). ADUs are small, self-contained residential units that are built on the same lot as—and are secondary to—an existing single-family home. The HIA was intended to inform a community […]

In March 2012, project partners received funding from the Michigan Department of Community Health Division of Environmental Health to conduct a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) of alternative development scenarios in the Michigan Street Corridor. The project is part of a larger effort funded by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority and the U.S. Department of […]

The Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness, IDEAS xLab, and the Commonwealth Institute of Kentucky conducted an HIA to examine how implementing Project HEAL could affect health in the Smoketown neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky. Project HEAL is a community development model that uses arts and culture activities to increase civic engagement and drive […]

The Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development conducted an HIA, funded by a grant from the Health Impact Project, to inform the Cargo Atlanta Citywide Freight Study, which developed policies to facilitate efficient freight movement in and around the city. The HIA examined the potential health implications of various policies, including diesel emissions standards, […]

This health impact assessment, or HIA, will inform the 2015 Georgia Qualified Allocation Plan for low-income housing tax credits. The plan is required each year as the Internal Revenue Service allocates housing tax credits to state agencies, which then award the credits to developers of qualified projects. The HIA, conducted by the Georgia Health Policy […]

The first-ever HIA on a major metropolitan transportation and comprehensive growth plan will be led by the Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development (CQGRD) at the Georgia Institute of Technology’s College of Architecture. Plan 2040—which is being conducted by the Atlanta Regional Commission, the local intergovernmental-coordination agency—integrates multiple aspects of regional planning, including transportation, […]

MetroPlan Orlando, in partnership with the University of Central Florida and the Winter Park Health Foundation, conducted the first transportation HIA in central Florida. The state Route 50 Bus Rapid Transit HIA analyzed the potential effects of implementing bus rapid transit along 22 miles of SR 50 on the physical, social, and emotional health of […]

Historically, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development policies have exposed people with a criminal history and their families to eviction and denial of housing. Human Impact Partners, in collaboration with the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, conducted an HIA that assessed the health and equity impacts of public housing screening policies that exclude […]

Two options for the county’s General Plan Update were being considered: one that focused development in existing urban areas and another that would allow for the creation of new towns in the county. Some of the pathways and health issues explored included access to retail and services, preservation of agricultural land, community safety, water quality […]

The LA County Department of Public Health conducted an HIA to evaluate the potential health impacts of Measure H, a ballot initiative that would raise LA County’s sales tax by one-quarter of 1 percent for a decade to fund programs designed by the LA County Homeless Initiative. The HIA evaluated homelessness as a public health […]

Human Impact Partners conducted a rapid HIA of a proposed ordinance in Milwaukee that would allow workers to earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours of paid work, up to 72 hours of leave in companies with more than 10 employees and 40 hours in firms with fewer than 10 employees. […]

The Clark County Community Planning Department in Vancouver, Washington, developed a Sub-Area Plan to revitalize Highway 99 and surrounding neighborhoods. Clark County Public Health conducted an HIA, which was included in the plan. The HIA explored the plan’s potential effects on several health issues, including access to healthy foods, opportunities for physical activity, reliance on […]

The Clean Air Council, in partnership with the community, industry professionals, and academics, conducted a health impact assessment of a proposed Royal Dutch Shell natural gas and chemical processing complex in Monaca, Pennsylvania. The proposed facility is known as a “cracker,” which separates natural gas and chemical feedstocks into different compounds that are used primarily […]

Human Impact Partners, working closely with ISAIAH—a faith-based coalition of more than 100 congregations—conducted an HIA to assess the potential health effects of a legislative proposal to cap annual percentage rates (APR) on payday loans and increase reporting requirements. The bill is expected to be introduced in the Minnesota Legislature in 2016. The HIA considered […]

This HIA seeks to inform decisions around the construction of a new jail and juvenile transition center in Muskegon County Michigan. The HIA will focus on environmental and social determinants of health including environmental hazards based on site selection, access to services and quality of those services, and unemployment. The HIA will determine likely effects […]

This health impact assessment (HIA) addressed a Massachusetts-specific version of the federal Healthy Families Act. The pathways and health issues explored included: 1) the spread of communicable diseases, such as influenza and stomach flu through workers at restaurants, schools and nursing homes; 2) the income and stress-related impacts of loss of salary and employer retaliation […]

Proctor Creek in the Atlanta metropolitan area has been placed on the impaired waters list because it does not meet state water quality standards for fecal coliform. The topography, prevalence of impervious surfaces in the watershed, and strains on the combined sewer system have contributed to pervasive flooding in the communities along Proctor Creek and […]

The Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development, the Georgia Health Policy Center, and the Coastal Region Metropolitan Planning Organization conducted an HIA to understand how policies and guidance detailed in the regional metropolitan planning organization’s freight study and expected increases in freight train traffic will affect residents’ health in Chatham County. The HIA focused […]

The University of Florida Department of Urban and Regional Planning, in partnership with the Florida Department of Health, conducted a rapid health impact assessment of proposed changes to built environment and transportation access in the Tower Triangle area of the city of Gainesville, in Alachua County, Florida. The HIA focused on how these proposed changes […]

Community Health Councils Inc., along with other members of the Los Angeles County Healthy Community Collaborative, conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) of California Senate Bill 622 (S.B. 622), which would impose a penny-per-ounce tax on distributors of sugar-sweetened beverages manufactured in the state. All revenue (taxes, penalties, and interest) collected under S.B. 622 would […]

The San Francisco departments of Public Health (SFDPH) and Planning used the Sustainable Communities Index (SCI) to describe community assets in the Central Corridor and make recommendations for a plan that will guide development between Market, Townsend, Second, and Sixth streets. SCI, developed by SFDPH in 2007, is a system used to analyze communities based […]

Through a grant to the San Francisco Study Center, the Ditching Dirty Diesel Collaborative conducted an HIA to inform development of long-range strategies for moving goods efficiently, reliably, and sustainably within, to, from, and through the county by road, rail, air, and water to be included in the final freight component of the Alameda County […]

The Gila County Division of Health and Emergency Management and Paramount Public Health Services conducted an HIA of a proposed trail along a portion of the Pinal Creek Basin in Globe, Arizona. The HIA explored potential health impacts associated with physical activity, community enrichment and civic pride, social cohesion, vehicle trips, public and personal safety, […]

The Red Dog Mine, in remote northwest Alaska, is the world’s largest producer of zinc. The company proposed an expansion of the mine. In evaluating this request, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined that it would be necessary to do an environmental impact statement (EIS) to assess the impact of the proposed activities on […]

This HIA is integrated into the Bureau of Land Management’s new integrated activity plan/environmental impact statement (IAP/EIS) that will guide the agency’s management of the region, including leasing and development of oil and gas resources. The HIA addresses a range of health considerations, including, for example, how future oil and gas exploration and development activities […]

This mental health impact assessment, or MHIA, focused on a proposal to update the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) Policy Guidance on the Consideration of Arrest Records in Employment Decisions. Having undergone an update for the first time in over twenty years, one proposed change was to prohibit employers from asking about arrests as […]

The Vermont Department of Health conducted an HIA of a proposed sick leave policy that would provide paid health care time for every 30 hours worked. Employees could use this leave—up to 56 hours annually—to recover from an illness; seek preventive care; provide care for a family member; coordinate social or legal services; and receive […]

The draft Wind Energy Health Impact Assessment is a tool to help community members, elected officials and Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) understand and respond to health-related questions about wind energy developments in Oregon. – This Health Impact Assessment Report first appeared in The Cross-Sector Toolkit for Health. The Cross-Sector Toolkit for Health was originally […]

The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute conducted an HIA to inform a decision on the status of the Wisconsin Transitional Jobs Program during the spring 2013 session that will shape the 2013-2015 biennial state budget. The HIA focused on the immediate health effects of changes in income related to employment, such as diet, alcohol […]

The proposal to build the Rock Prairie Dairy in the Town of Bradford, Wisconsin generated concerns regarding the potential negative health implications that may result from the creation of such a large animal operation. The community was also concerned that concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) regulations were insufficient with respect to public health and did […]

The Palau Health Impact Assessment Working Group, in partnership with Ulkerreuil A Klengar, conducted a rapid health impact assessment of S.B. 9-20-SD2, which would require all employers to provide up to three month maternity leave to pregnant employees, with the option for an additional month of unpaid leave. The current law covers maternity leave only […]

Oregon Public Health Institute, in partnership with Clackamas County Public Health and the Clackamas County Department of Transportation and Development, conducted an HIA in 2014 on a road safety audit conducted on a half-mile section of McLoughlin Boulevard (also known as OR 99E) in Jennings Lodge, Oregon. Its aim was to give transportation department staff […]

The Hood River County Health Department conducted an HIA to examine the health impacts of rezoning 30 acres of former orchards to allow recreational development. The Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation District purchased the land in 2007. The land is zoned Exclusive Farm Use (EFU) and land use planning as well as potential health […]

This HIA determined the impacts of the proposed Baltimore-Washington Rail Intermodal Facility at CSX’s existing Mount Clare Yard in southwest Baltimore City. The facility would transfer freight cargo between trains and trucks, and operate twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week. The facility poses potential health concerns that include air and noise pollution and […]

This project is informing Kansas legislators of the potential health risks and benefits of a bill that would facilitate the construction of a new casino in southeast Kansas. While previous discussions about casino development have been limited to potential economic benefit and pathological gambling, the HIA sought to bring additional health effects to the table. […]

The Minnesota Department of Health conducted an HIA of the potential health effects of the small area plan for the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Duluth. The HIA analyzed how the plan could affect community health and offered recommendations to maximize potential benefits and reduce negative impacts, with a focus on four topics: land use and […]

In 2012, Human Impact Partners worked with the Los Angeles Community Action Network (LA CAN), the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA), and Physicians for Social Responsibility Los Angeles (PSR-LA) to conduct a rapid HIA of the proposed construction of the 72,000 seat Farmers Field football stadium in downtown Los Angeles. The HIA included […]

Human Impact Partners (HIP) conducted an HIA that addressed the expansion and improvements planned for the I-710 freeway in Los Angeles, a vital transportation artery that links the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles to the Southern California region and beyond. A coalition including community groups, academic experts, city, county, regional and federal agencies, […]

The Denver Environmental Health Department is conducting a health impact assessment (HIA) of the neighborhood plans for two North Denver neighborhoods: Globeville and Elyria Swansea. The neighborhood plans are currently being updated through a community engagement process. The HIA will make recommendations for neighborhood planning changes that can positively impact health in these communities with […]

The Tri-County Health Department conducted an HIA of Sheridan’s Comprehensive Plan update, which is intended to help frame policies that maximize positive health effects and prioritize implementation strategies. The previous Comprehensive Plan, adopted in 2004, had focused on programmatic municipal changes and guidance for specific properties in the community. One objective for the new plan […]

The Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development (CQGRD), a research center of the Georgia Institute of Technology’s College of Architecture, conducted a comprehensive HIA on the site of a former Ford assembly plant. The location contained several contaminated industrial sites that were cleaned in preparation for the repurposing of this land. The 122-acre site, […]

The U.S. Minerals Management Service (MMS) proposed to lease offshore areas in Alaska’s northern coastal region, and undertook an environmental impact statement (EIS) to inform their decision making on this proposal. The North Slope Borough, in collaboration with the Alaska Inter-Tribal Council (a nonprofit organization representing Alaska’s tribes), completed a rapid HIA of the draft […]

Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Housing Long Beach, and Human Impact Partners conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) of the Housing Element of the City of Long Beach General Plan. This update is required every eight years by the State of California. The HIA focused on housing affordability, quality, and location. The HIA made […]

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Border Environment Cooperation Commission (BECC), conducted an HIA to inform the village of Vinton of the health impacts of proposed water and sanitation improvement projects. Vinton is a small border town with high levels of unemployment […]

This health impact assessment will inform the development of a five-year fair and affordable housing plan by incorporating potential health impacts, social equity, and environmental justice into future housing policies The plan will also incorporate findings of an affordable housing study being conducted by Michigan State University. FAHP’s planning process serves as the framework for a community-wide […]

Hennepin County’s Department of Housing, Community Works and Transit (HCWT) conducted an HIA to inform planning decisions on the proposed Bottineau Transitway. The transitway proposal would create a new bus or light rail line extending from downtown Minneapolis through North Minneapolis and into neighboring suburbs. The HIA was coordinated with the Draft Environmental Impact Statement […]

Mid-City Community Advocacy Network and its Youth Council worked with Human Impact Partners to conduct an HIA to examine health and equity implications of a skatepark proposal in City Heights, a neighborhood in San Diego. Obesity rates in City Heights are higher than those in San Diego County overall, and the neighborhood has an inadequate […]

The Center for Health Equity at Drexel University School of Public Health conducted a rapid HIA on the potential health impacts of a slot machine casino under construction in a residential area of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The HIA identified five major pathways through which the casino could impact health: employment, traffic congestion, physical activity, problem gambling […]

Youth UpRising conducted an HIA to inform the Oakland school board’s planning and implementation of a secondary, specialized learning academy within a low-performing high school in East Oakland. Located in a community with high crime, violence, poverty, and unemployment, Castlemont High School faces disinvestment, decreased enrollment, and a dropout rate of 40 percent. The academy […]

Rutgers University’s Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, in partnership with New Jersey Future and Little Egg Harbor Township, will complete an HIA to assess the potential health implications of a coordinated voluntary buyout strategy in the Mystic Island area, which was severely affected by Hurricane Sandy. Buyout programs use federal funds to help […]

This health impact assessment (HIA) addressed a Maine-specific version of the federal Healthy Families Act, a bill that would have entitled an employee to accrue paid sick time at a rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked, up to nine days per year. The pathways and health issues explored included: 1) the spread […]

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health conducted an HIA to investigate how 2007 California Senate Bill 120 and 2008 Senate Bill 1420 could impact the obesity epidemic. The proposed laws outline requirements for chain restaurants to provide nutritional information. The HIA found that menu labeling in these restaurants would likely result in modest […]

The Columbia Transit system is stressed due to increased student ridership, new routes, budget cuts, and higher fuel costs. The Columbia/Boone County Department of Health and Human Services conducted a rapid health impact assessment (HIA) in response to the Columbia Transit System Expansion HIA completed in 2012. The Columbia, Missouri City Council requested an HIA […]

The HIA examined the potential health impacts on Curry County, Oregon, residents’ health of upgraded manufactured housing and recommended ways to tailor the housing stock improvements pilot program to meet health needs. The HIA found that replacing older manufactured homes could significantly boost health by improving indoor air quality, reducing falls, and contributing to positive […]

The Kentucky Environmental Foundation conducted an HIA of coal and clean energy options in the state of Kentucky. The HIA provided a health-based screening of the life cycle of coal from point of extraction to disposal of byproducts. These impacts are compared to those associated with energy efficiency and renewable energy options proposed in the […]

University of Washington graduate students, in partnership with the Seattle Departments of Transportation and Planning and Development, conducted a rapid HIA of the Delridge Corridor Project. The plan is part of a broader city effort to transform major roads and neighboring streets into safer and healthier public places. The health pathways explored included zoning, mobility, […]

The Colorado School of Public Health, in collaboration with the Garfield County Public Health Department, is conducting an HIA to assess the potential health implications of a 200-well natural gas development proposal within the community of Battlement Mesa, Colorado. This HIA, requested and funded by the Garfield County Commissioners in response to a citizen petition […]

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) conducted an HIA to inform decisions regarding a proposed biomass power plant that would burn poultry litter in Virginia.  The Shenandoah Valley in northwestern Virginia is among the nation’s largest producers of poultry. The litter produced by poultry farms is of particular concern because, when applied as fertilizer, the runoff can […]

The Kentucky Environmental Foundation, in collaboration with the Purchase District Health Department, conducted an HIA to inform decisions on whether to retire or retrofit the coal-fired Shawnee Fossil Plant in McCracken County. The HIA also informed the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Integrated Resource Planning, which guides future energy production scenarios. Data indicate that rates of asthma, […]

Davidson Design for Life, in collaboration with Davidson College students in a Public Health Policy, Practice and Ethics course, conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) of a proposed regional commuter rail project connecting Mooresville to Charlotte, North Carolina using existing Norfolk Southern rail. The project would offer increased freight business, as well as the opportunity […]

This HIA informed the Illinois General Assembly’s deliberations on legislative proposals to seek a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to ban the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for purchasing sugar-sweetened beverages. – This Health Impact Assessment Report first appeared in The Cross-Sector Toolkit for Health. The Cross-Sector Toolkit for […]

A graduate class at the University of Washington conducted an HIA of the Pioneer Square 2015 plan, A Strategy for Seattle’s First Neighborhood. Pioneer Square, Seattle’s original neighborhood, is home to a large percentage of the city’s mentally ill, disabled, and homeless individuals and families. The HIA considered the connections between neighborhood characteristics, such as […]

Upstream Public Health, a public policy non-profit based in Portland, Oregon, conducted a novel health impact assessment (HIA) of proposed legislation in Oregon. Oregon House Bill (HB) 2800 would provide state funds to purchase locally-grown foods for schools, set up school teaching gardens, and conduct nutrition education. The lessons learned from this project could be […]

This HIA studied a proposed amendment to Ordinance 01-67, the Farmland Protection Program, which has operated for 10 years and resulted in the permanent protection of over 5,500 acres of farmland. The amendment would broaden annual investments to include small and organic farms producing fruits, vegetables, and meat, and is intended in part to increase […]

The HIA addressed the Pittsburg Railroad Avenue Specific Plan, which included a new commuter rail (BART) station located in the middle of State Highway 4. The proposed station would be surrounded by “transit-oriented development,” which would include almost 1,600 housing units, 450,000 square feet of retail and commercial space, and pedestrian and bike improvements. All […]

This HIA provides decision makers with a review of potential positive and negative human health impacts related to the proposed Wishbone Hill Mine (WHM). The proposed project area is located in the Matanuska-Susitna valley near Sutton, Alaska. – This Health Impact Assessment Report first appeared in The Cross-Sector Toolkit for Health. The Cross-Sector Toolkit for […]

The Kansas Water Vision plan calls for an evaluation of uses of lower-quality water in the state so the Kansas Health Institute conducted a health impact assessment to examine how municipal water reuse might affect the health of state residents. The study analyzed seven factors related to water reuse that could affect health in Kansas: […]

This rapid health impact assessment (RHIA) evaluated the mental health effects of Massachusetts bill S. 900, which proposed to require that the state expunge criminal records for individuals who committed their offenses before the age of 21. Students in the healthy cities course in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at the Massachusetts Institute […]

The San Francisco Department of Public Health conducted an HIA to assess the impact of California Assembly Bill 889, which proposed extending labor protections including overtime compensation, meal and rest periods, and uninterrupted sleep periods with compensation to domestic workers. The HIA focused specifically on two provisions of the bill: amending California Workers’ Compensation legislation […]

Davidson Design for Life conducted a health impact assessment of the existing food environment in Davidson, North Carolina. The HIA sought to inform partnering stakeholders and the Davidson Board of Commissioners on ways to increase access to local, healthy foods and ways to increase consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables for vulnerable populations such as […]

The Center for Health Advancement at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) to identify potential health effects of proposed changes to California’s state gas tax, such as replacing the tax with a mileage-based user fee. The HIA investigated whether any of the alternatives would adversely affect existing socio-economic […]

This HIA informed revisions to the City of Minneapolis Above the Falls Master Plan, which will guide redevelopment of an industrial area along the upper Mississippi riverfront in Minneapolis. The Master Plan, being drafted by the City of Minneapolis Department of Community Planning & Economic Development, is intended to increase public access and use of […]

The Council on Crime and Justice conducted an HIA to inform the Minnesota State Legislature’s decision to reform state drug sentencing laws by providing evidence-based information about the potential health impacts on individuals, families, and communities. The findings and recommendations show that particular changes in the proposed legislation could yield positive (or negative) health outcomes […]

The San Francisco Department of Public Health conducted an HIA in response to community requests in the Mission, South of Market, and Potrero Hill neighborhoods. The HIA addressed a range of factors in the community plans that could affect health, including housing affordability; the potential that low-income residents could be displaced; the availability of safe […]

Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) conducted an HIA to evaluate county departments’ food procurement policies and nutrition and sodium standards. The HIA explored how proposed policies intended to reduce sodium consumption through better access to affordable, healthy food options could improve public health and cut costs for the county by lowering residents’ blood […]

The HIA addressed the health implications of the City of Los Angeles’ Living Wage Ordinance, which gave an employer the ability to choose whether to provide health insurance or additional income. Increased income and increased likelihood of health insurance are the major factors driving the ordinance’s impacts on health, and for this analysis mortality was […]

Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, in partnership with Children’s HealthWatch, conducted an HIA to examine the potential health effects of creating a state-level, refundable earned income tax credit (EITC). Specifically, it considered how an EITC could affect Arkansas residents’ general health, children’s health, maternal depressive symptoms, low birth weight, childhood development delays, and obesity.  […]

The La Plaza Vieja Neighborhood Association, residents of Arrowhead Village, Hermosa Vida community organizers, the Department of Anthropology at Northern Arizona University, and an independent HIA consultant conducted a rapid HIA to examine the potential health effects a local rezoning proposal intended to accommodate new student housing in Flagstaff, Arizona. The HIA found that the […]

The National Indian Justice Center conducted an HIA of a proposed utility-scale solar project that focused on potential health risks and benefits for neighboring Native American communities in the Mojave Desert. Key decision-makers included the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the California Energy Commission, the Department of Defense, and private developers. The renewable energy project […]

The University of Texas, El Paso conducted an HIA focused on public transportation. The HIA solicited community input regarding transportation needs within Doña Ana County, New Mexico, between Las Cruces and rural towns in southern areas of the state. The final report recommended designing public transportation routes to increase residents’ access to health-promoting and educational […]

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health (CCBH) is conducting an HIA to examine the health effects of the Transportation for Livable Communities Initiative (TLCI) planning project for key intersections of the four mile stretch of Euclid Avenue in Euclid, Ohio.  At this time, the plan intends to produce specific recommendations for 1) pedestrian and bicycle […]

Human Impact Partners, in collaboration with Strategic Actions for a Just Economy and Esperanza Community Housing Corp., conducted a rapid HIA of a proposed 5.2-million-square-foot build-out on the University Park campus of the University of Southern California. The proposal included retail space, restaurants, a hotel, and student housing. The HIA emphasized community involvement and focused […]

MacArthur Transit Village project was presented in October 2006 at the MacArthur BART Citizen’s Planning Committee meeting. This HIA was conducted by the UC Berkeley Health Impact Group to evaluate the health effects of the proposed project, with the goal that it would be submitted to the Citizen’s Planning Committee and other public agencies. A […]

The Kansas Health Institute conducted an HIA on the Kansas Agriculture Growth and Rural Investment Initiative, which was introduced during the state’s 2013 legislative session. The bill would remove operating restrictions for certain agribusinesses and amend the definitions of limited agriculture partnerships, family farm corporations, and other ownership structures. Though it received a hearing, the […]

The Boston Public Health Commission conducted an HIA to inform upcoming decisions by the mayor and City Council on proposed changes to the Boston Living Wage Ordinance. The law, first passed in 1998, was designed to ensure that employees of city contractors would earn a wage that allows a family of four to live at […]

The HIA addressed California Assembly Bill 2716: Healthy Families, Healthy Workplaces Act of 2008. The bill would have entitled an employee who works in California to accrue paid sick time at a rate of no less than one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to nine days per year. An […]

The San Francisco Department of Public Health conducted an HIA to look at the health impacts of a proposed 2, 800-unit new residential area on 71 acres in the southeastern corner of San Francisco. This HIA was the first pilot application of San Francisco’s Health Development Measurement Tool (HDMT) to a land use development plan. […]

Between 2018 and 2020, a team of Merced health providers, educators, researchers, and community advocates conducted an HIA to understand the impact of workforce shortages related to mild-to-moderate behavioral health (MMBH) concerns and to present ways to decrease the shortages. Merced has still not fully recovered from the housing crisis and recession of the early […]

Legal Aid of Marin and Human Impact Partners conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) of proposed changes to the Housing Code Enforcement Policy in three jurisdictions in California: unincorporated Marin County, Novato, and San Rafael. The HIA examined how common housing complaints such as water incursion, pests infestations, mold and dampness, electrical problems, and heating […]

Millennium Bulk Terminals is proposing to construct and operate a coal export terminal on a 190-acre site along the Columbia River in Cowlitz County, Washington. The terminal would receive rail shipments of coal from the Powder River and the Uinta basins, which would then be transported by ship on the Columbia River and Pacific Ocean […]

This HIA addressed the health implications of the Clark County Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. Some of the pathways and health issues explored included physical activity and food access, with special consideration to the particular health challenges that face vulnerable populations, such as low-income families. Outcome Clark County Public Health received Active Living Research’s 2012 […]

Human Impact Partners, Advancement Project, and National People’s Action conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) of Congress’ federal 2011 proposed Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) project to re-organize public housing funding and management structures. Using mixed research methods, the HIA assessed the impacts of RAD on: management, evictions, and resident organizing; housing affordability, stability, and quality; […]

In partnership with New Jersey Future and the city of Hoboken, Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy completed an HIA examining the potential health effects of implementing green infrastructure-based stormwater management strategies to address chronic flooding and combined sewer system (CSS) backups and overflows in Hoboken. Over the past decade, […]

The current Hawai‘i County Agriculture Development Plan (the Agriculture Plan) was commissioned by the Hawai‘i County Department of Research and Development in 2008 and approved by the Hawai‘i County Council in 2010. The purpose of the Agriculture Plan is to serve as a guide for county government, local advocacy groups, and local businesses to revitalize […]

The HIA addressed the City of Oakland’s station area planning process for land use improvements around the Lake Merritt BART station in downtown Oakland. The plan will likely include housing; new space for office, retail, and light industry; higher residential density; parkland improvement; and increased connectivity between several different nodes of the city. The planning […]

MountainWise, a collaboration of eight public health departments in Western North Carolina, is conducting an eight county health impact assessment (HIA) called MountainElements that will inform decisions about each county’s comprehensive plan, focusing on the transportation and parks and recreation sections of each plan. Three plans are currently under development and two will begin soon. […]

New Mexico Voices for Children completed an HIA of a proposed tax on food in the state. In 2004, the New Mexico Legislature exempted food from the gross receipts tax, the state’s version of the sales tax. However, state legislators, under pressure from local governments facing declining revenue, are considering allowing localities to reinstate a […]

Common Ground Health selected the Rochester (New York) Bike Share program for an HIA because it experienced rapid expansion during its first year (25 planned stations and 250 bikes became 46 stations and 340 bikes in Phase 1). The study examined the program’s effects on residents’ physical activity, social cohesion, economic well-being, and access to […]

Human Impact Partners, with the New Mexico Department of Health and the Partnership for a Healthy Torrance County, conducted an HIA of a proposed carbon dioxide pipeline in Torrance County, New Mexico. Kinder Morgan, the largest energy infrastructure company in North America, proposed 213 miles of 16-inch pipeline to carry CO2 from Apache County, Arizona, […]

The Mississippi State Department of Health, in partnership with stakeholders from the city of Natchez and Adams County, conducted an HIA to inform decisions about economic development, historic preservation, and revitalization. The HIA examined the Adams County Civil Rights Project (ACCRP)—one of several initiatives to increase the profile of African American heritage in Natchez and […]

This Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is studying a pending policy of the Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) on grade retention. Grade retention is the practice used by many schools, public and private, where an underachieving student is not allowed to advance to the next grade and instead is made to repeat the grade. This practice is […]

This HIA analyzed the potential health effects of implementing an Urban Agriculture overlay district, which would introduce intense farm uses such as livestock, community gardens, hoop houses, market gardens, and community gardens, in Cleveland. The HIA found that many of the proposed uses that this zoning district allows can benefit health, including access to fresh […]

The Prevention Research Center in St. Louis, in partnership with the Tennessee Obesity Taskforce, conducted a rapid HIA of Tennessee Senate Bill 1176, the Tennessee Food Desert Relief Act which was introduced during the 2012 legislative session. The bill would authorize the use of revenue bonds and loans to develop property into food desert relief […]

This Rapid Health Impact Assessment (RHIA) evaluated the potential health impacts on renters of Boston’s proposed Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance, which would require landlords to have a “just cause,” including any violation of the lease terms, before evicting tenants. A group of students in the Healthy Cities course in the Department of Urban Studies […]

This HIA, conducted by the Alameda County Public Health Department (ACPHD), informed the development of the San Francisco Bay Area’s Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), which will serve as a guide to transportation-related investments over the next 25 years. The assessment examined the equity impacts–or how the new Plan might affect different populations in different ways–of […]

The 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to align nutrition standards for all foods and beverages sold in schools with the federal dietary guidelines. Healthy diets are linked to a number of children’s health outcomes, including maintaining a recommended weight, decreased risk of tooth decay and other chronic diseases, […]

Human Impact Partners conducted an HIA of the federal Healthy Families Act of 2009 and a companion rapid assessment to review existing health data relevant to paid sick day legislation (H.B. 662) under consideration in New Hampshire. The HIA found that between 2004 and 2008, 89 percent of foodborne disease outbreaks in the state occurred […]

Graduate students at the University of California, Berkeley conducted an HIA to add value to decision-making regarding design alternatives for the San Jose to Merced corridor of the California High-Speed Rail. The study identified opportunities for health benefits as well as risks and negative health costs. The HIA found that the direct employment benefits of […]

In 2018, Common Ground Health conducted a rapid HIA to examine the effects of aging housing stock on the health of low-income communities in Elmira, New York, and to inform neighborhood revitalization efforts. More than 90% of the city’s housing was built before 1950, and some of these aging dwellings present a high risk of […]

This project explored how a coordinated regional transit system might impact health disparities in the Central Oregon counties of Deschutes, Jefferson, and Crook.  The HIA focused on impacts to health through opportunities for physical activity and access to healthy foods, health care services, and employment, as well as safety. Outcome Commute Options presented at a […]

The HIA addressed the health implications of a housing assistance and homelessness prevention program called the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MVRP), as well as proposed changes to the program for FY2006. The HIA: 1) looked specifically at program components like time limits, work requirements, eligibility determination and required tenant rent contributions; and 2) studied the […]

Texas Southern University conducted an HIA to examine the health impacts of possible development patterns that could occur in the neighborhood near a planned station on a 30-mile, five-corridor light rail expansion. Transit-oriented development generally includes high-density housing and a mix of shopping choices near transit stops in order to encourage use of public transportation. […]

Human Impact Partners conducted an HIA of the federal Healthy Families Act of 2009 and a companion rapid assessment of existing health data relevant to New Jersey. As of 2011, almost 40% of the state’s private sector workers—over 1.2 million New Jersey residents—were not entitled to any paid sick days. At the time of the […]

The Washington County Departments of Public Works and Public Health and Environment, in collaboration with the Gateway Corridor Commission, conducted an HIA to examine the potential health impacts of possible land-use changes around the Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit corridor and to inform comprehensive planning of station areas in five cities—Saint Paul, Maplewood, Oakdale, Landfall, […]

With funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Wayne County, MI Department of Public Health completed a health impact assessment (HIA) of a national and statewide policy proposal for gender pay equity.  Wayne County DPH’s Place Matters team is focused on infant mortality, and is interested to work on upstream issues that impact maternal and […]

The Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, together with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, conducted an HIA to inform state decisions on funding for the Small Business Technical Assistance (SBTA) Program, an initiative that incubates and supports small businesses in underserved Massachusetts communities. The HIA explored links between the income-generating effects of supporting small […]

At the request of City of Cincinnati employees, the Cincinnati Health Department (CHD) Health Impact Assessment (HIA) Committee studied the health impacts experienced by workers impacted directly and indirectly from the layoff or the bumping process. When a senior union member’s position is eliminated, s/he can ‘bump’ a junior employee out of his or position. […]

The Kansas Health Institute and the University of Kansas School of Medicine – Wichita conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) to inform a Wichita City Council vote on proposed changes to the city’s transit system. The HIA found that the health of people who do not have a reliable car or social network would be […]

The Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development at the Georgia Institute of Technology, along with the Georgia Department of Public Health, conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) of the redevelopment of McIntosh Homes, a public housing project in Albany, Georgia. The redevelopment plan for McIntosh Homes was developed by the Albany Housing Authority (AHA) […]

Human Impact Partners, in partnership with Building Healthy Communities Merced, the Merced Organizing Project, and the California Endowment, conducted an HIA of “restorative justice school discipline” pilots in Merced, California. Restorative justice policies are dialogue-based decision-making processes that consider the needs of all those involved in a disciplinary incident: victims, offenders, and school staff. In […]

The Illinois Public Health Institute (IPHI) and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) conducted an HIA of a proposed greenway trail along a 2-mile corridor in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood. It considered how the trail would affect community safety, access to and use of green space and parks, traffic-related air pollution, brownfields and vacant lots, […]

The HIA addressed potential reuse plans for the Concord Naval Weapons Station, a 5,028-acre former US Navy weapons storage site that is to be redeveloped by the City of Concord, CA. In 2008, the city proposed several development alternatives, later narrowed to two, that each included locations for housing, commercial space, community facilities, parks, roadways […]

Human Impact Partners, in collaboration with the Los Angeles Coalition Against Wage Theft, conducted an HIA of the proposed wage theft ordinance in Los Angeles. In 2014, the coalition proposed provisions for the ordinance that were accepted by the City Council and then reviewed by the Los Angeles city attorney. The proposed ordinance includes provisions […]

The purpose of this rapid Health Impact Assessment (HIA) was to discuss the negative and positive health impacts of a biosolids storage facility being proposed in the Town of Greenville, and to identify ways to decrease any adverse health impacts of the proposed biosolids storage facility. The Greenville community expressed concern about the health risks […]

Community Health Councils Inc. conducted an HIA of a proposal to offer permits for sidewalk vending in Los Angeles, focusing on how legalizing vendors could change the nutritional behaviors of students in South Los Angeles. Sidewalk vending is prohibited citywide, but the City Council is considering creation of a vendor permit application process. The HIA […]

The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa conducted an HIA to analyze and explain the importance of wild rice, or manoomin, to the health of the Ojibwe people in advance of a proposed revision to loosen water quality standards for wild rice cultivation in Minnesota. Hand-harvested manoomin is a staple for the Ojibwe […]

The City of Fitchburg, along with the Montachusett Opportunity Council, the Montachusett Regional Planning Council, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and Fun ‘n FITchburg, conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) that examined the City of Fitchburg’s proposals for the redevelopment of vacant lots around the city. The city considered several strategies for the lots, […]

The Health Impact Project, a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts, conducted a rapid HIA to inform the U.S. Department of Education’s proposed Title I regulations Section 200.21(c) regarding the content, procedures, and implementation of school-level needs assessments. Under the Every Student Succeeds Act, local educational agencies (LEAs) are […]

The HIA addressed the federal Healthy Families Act of 2009 and was a continuation of the work completed as part of a similar HIA in California. The bill would have entitled all employees to accrue paid sick time at a rate of no less than one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours […]

The purpose of the assessment was to evaluate the potential effects of a worksite wellness tax credit on three main areas of concern for Kentucky: (1) nutrition, physical activity and obesity levels of children whose parents receive Worksite Wellness services, (2) jobs and (3) social cohesion. The purpose of conducting the HIA was to consider […]

Human Impact Partners, in collaboration with East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice and Californians for Justice, conducted a rapid HIA to examine how the proposed Long Beach Downtown Plan would impact the health and employment of residents, particularly low-income and vulnerable populations. The Long Beach Downtown Plan is a 25-year plan to add approximately 5,000 […]

The redesign study of Sixth Avenue East in 2010 arose out of community concerns about the safety of the roadway and its perceived negative effects on the neighborhood. – This Health Impact Assessment Report first appeared in The Cross-Sector Toolkit for Health. The Cross-Sector Toolkit for Health was originally developed by the Health Impact Project, […]

Health Resources in Action, in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission, will conduct a health impact assessment, or HIA, to inform the promulgation of regulations by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development that will guide the release of funding for community development corporations under the […]

This HIA, a collaboration between the Healthy Places program at Columbus Public Health and the Department of Development’s Planning Division, looked at six key recommendations from a proposed area plan for northeast Columbus. It explored the impacts these recommendations might have on physical activity, air pollution, mental health, social capital (the relationships between people living […]

An HIA to assess potential health outcomes associated with introducing bus rapid transit to the 47th Street Trolley Station near Interstate 805 in San Diego. The assessment focused on several health determinants including transportation, housing, access to goods and services, and environmental quality. – This Health Impact Assessment Report first appeared in The Cross-Sector Toolkit […]

At the request of the city of Baltimore and the University of Maryland, the Baltimore City Health Department conducted a rapid HIA to identify potential health equity issues associated with redevelopment of the Lexington Market area of the Downtown-Westside neighborhood. The redevelopment would feature mixed-income, mixed-use development and implement the Complete Streets approach to roadway […]

The Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness conducted an HIA to analyze the potential health effects of the Kentucky Pregnant Workers’ Act. The bill proposed to ensure reasonable workplace accommodations for women during pregnancy, such as reducing heavy lifting, bending, or standing and exposure to chemicals, heavy metals, and loud noises; providing consistent […]

This health impact assessment examined the transit extension connecting South Phoenix, a disadvantaged neighborhood, to the existing light-rail line of the city. Valley Metro, a public transportation provider in the Phoenix area, is the key decision-maker and has supported previous HIA work in Arizona. The HIA addressed improved access to health care services for the […]

The California Department of Public Health, in collaboration with the California Public Health Institute, conducted an HIA to inform the development of new carbon ‘cap and trade’ regulations (Assembly Bill 32) by the California Air Resources Board. The new regulations are intended to reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions by imposing a cap on the […]

The Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services partnered with the PedNet Coalition and Central Missouri Community Action in late 2011 to perform an HIA on the health effects of expanding and improving bus service in Columbia. The HIA focused on health indicators most likely to be affected by expansion of public transit, […]

California Rural Legal Assistance Inc. conducted an HIA to examine the health impacts on indigenous Mexican residents of Kern County, California, of access to a trained interpreter during interactions with law enforcement. This HIA found that language barriers create significant challenges for indigenous Mexican residents of Kern County, California, particularly reducing residents’ likelihood of reporting […]

Detroit Community-Academic Urban Research Center conducted a health impact assessment to inform the Detroit Future City’s Strategic Framework, a plan to guide land use planning for the city. The HIA addressed the potential impact on high-vacancy neighborhoods of the framework’s proposals for public lighting and blight removal. The report presented evidence-based recommendations to minimize risks […]

The Institute for Wisconsin’s Health Inc. conducted an HIA to inform county, municipal, township, and tribal policy decisions related to existing and potential industrial sand facilities in western Wisconsin. Although the HIA aimed to provide guidance for upcoming decisions by the Ho-Chunk Nation (a tribe), Trempealeau County, Pierce County, and three townships in Eau Claire […]

Graduate students at Georgia Tech worked with Healthy Savannah to prepare a rapid HIA on the potential health and social impacts of the proposed Tide to Town trail, a 30-mile walking trail in Savannah. The HIA focused on three themes: residential displacement from flooding; connectivity and physical activity; and the relationship between housing, jobs, and […]