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Housing and Health

SECTOR SPOTLIGHT

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Housing is about stable, safe places to live, and living in diverse, vibrant communities that lead to full, productive lives. Humane housing is a vital community condition. People are better-able to thrive with access to secure, consistent places to live, homes and neighborhoods that are safe from hazards, and neighborhoods that provide access to food and other basic needs and resources. Housing is the biggest expense for most Americans, so housing affordability is a significant factor in financial well-being. Housing stability, quality, safety, and affordability all affect health outcomes, as do physical and social characteristics of neighborhoods.

Learn More About Housing on Community Commons

Evidence Base

Housing conditions

Housing affordability

Neighborhood assets

Community connection and cohesion

Factors

Housing that is safe, dry, clean, maintained, adequately ventilated, and pest- and contaminant-free housing protects against household exposures to human health hazards.

Affordable housing promotes financial security and frees up resources for other basic needs (e.g., utilities, food, and medical care).

Neighborhoods with safe, affordable transportation systems, good parks and recreation facilities, and access to assets like quality schools and health care provide what communities need to be healthy and well.

Neighborhoods with less concentrated poverty, and low segregation, violence, and crime foster more social connection and trust, and a stronger sense of belonging and civic muscle.

Outcomes

Reduced incidence of injury, illness and death resulting from exposures to hazards in home

Reduced the incidence of malnutrition, diabetes, anxiety, and depression

Reduced incidence of chronic disease, injury, respiratory disease, mortality, and poor mental health

Improved physical and mental health

Improved school performance and civic engagement

Featured Resources

Connecting Public Housing and Health

This resource summarizes findings of a health impact assessment that was conducted to inform an update by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development o...

The Relationship Between Housing and Health

This resource illustrates the strong link between health and four housing characteristics: quality, affordability, location, and social and community attributes...

Children Can Come Into Contact With Lead Almost Anywhere

This resource explains that children can encounter lead almost anywhere, as it is a prevalent issue. It provides data and visuals illustrating the various sourc...

HIAs in Housing

HIAs have the opportunity to inform housing policy, improvements, planning and decision-making, and investment that increases community well-being.

HIAs related to housing often focus on health and housing conditions, affordable housing, and housing policy. However, HIAs can be used to inform a range of health-related issues in the housing sector, including indoor environmental quality, access to transportation, jobs, parks, and open space, availability of nutritious foods, and neighborhood racial and socio-economic segregation.

* Adapted from The Pew Charitable Trust, The Relationship Between Housing and Health

EXAMPLE HIAS

Rental Assistance Demonstration Project

Human Impact Partners, Advancement Project, and National People’s Action conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) of Congress’ federal 2011 propos...

Universal Design in Single-Family Housing in Davidson, North Carolina

In 2013, Davidson Design for Life conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) that examined the health impacts of incorporating universal design and visitability...

Coffelt-Lamoreaux Public Housing Redevelopment

Catalyze Research and Consulting, LLC, along with the Phoenix Revitalization Corporation and with support from the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) ...

Hartford Neighborhood Revitalization and Sustainability Plan

Community Solutions, with Michael Singer Studio, conducted an HIA of the development of a revitalization and sustainability plan for Northeast, a neighborhood i...

Zoning and Student Housing in La Plaza Vieja

The La Plaza Vieja Neighborhood Association, residents of Arrowhead Village, Hermosa Vida community organizers, the Department of Anthropology at Northern Arizo...

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