Policy

Highlights of "Research Hazard Intervention, and National Outreach for Healthier Homes Act"
Help determine the future of Healthy Homes!
One-Touch Program
Green Building Guidelines Analysis
Green Communities Initiative
Healthier Homes, Stronger Families: Public Policy Approaches to Healthy Housing
CDC Windows Symposium
National Historic Trust - Barriers to Affordable Rehabilitation

Highlights of "Research Hazard Intervention, and National Outreach for Healthier Homes Act"

The Research, Hazard Intervention, and National Outreach for Healthier Homes Act of 2008 (RHINO-HH) emphasizes cost-effective approaches and market-based incentives to make homes healthier and safer without detracting from their affordability. The multi-faceted legislation aims to improve research, enhance the capacity of federal programs, and expand national outreach efforts. For the full summary, click here.

Help determine the future of Healthy Homes

Help determine the future of Healthy Homes! As the concluding session of the National Healthy Homes Conference, we assembled a "Town Hall Meeting" featuring three panels of national leaders from Federal Agencies, Congressional Staff, and the private sector. These panels want to hear from you the best ideas for advancing the concept of healthy homes in the United States.

One-Touch Program

Since low-income families, property owners, and housing developers confront a complex and fragmented system for addressing housing-related health issues, Boston's Department of Neighborhood Development (DND) and Inspectional Services Department (ISD) have both expressed an interest in a "one-touch" approach that would improve service delivery and promote efficiency through greater cross-agency interdisciplinary work. NCHH will promote and develop "one touch" tangible service across city agencies in Boston, integrating the lead, asthma and injury programs. Click here to read more about this project.

NCHH compared major national green building and indoor air quality guidelines with its own set of recommended healthy housing criteria to assess the extent to which these programs protect residents from health and safety hazards. The results showed that there is significant variation to the degree to which national green guidelines consider occupant health. Click here for more information and to download "Comparing Green Building Guidelines and Healthy Homes Principles: A Preliminary Investigation."

For more information about this project, contact Rebecca Morley, rmorley@centerforhealthyhousing.org

NCHH is leading the evaluation of The Enterprise Foundation's Green Communities Initiative--a $550 million initiative that will reach 8,500 units over five years. The initiative is intended to create healthier, sustainable, affordable housing. The criteria for the units built under the program apply both to existing and newly constructed housing. NCHH was responsible for developing Section 7 of the Green Communities criteria entitled "Healthy Indoor Environments." NCHH drew from existing building science, construction, and environmental health guidelines to inform the development of the criteria. NCHH provided references and guidance language regarding how to implement the practices necessary to achieve the criteria. NCHH will be responsible for updating and refining these criteria based on feedback from program participants. Furthermore, NCHH is currently partnering with The Enterprise Foundation to design a multisite pilot program which evaluates the effect of the initiative on occupant health (particularly respiratory disease), quality of life, and environmental measures (e.g. allergen levels). For more information about this project contact Rebecca Morley, rmorley@centerforhealthyhousing.org

NCHH and The Enterprise Foundation convened nearly 80 researchers, practitioners, policy makers, and community members to develop a public policy agenda for advancing healthier homes for low-income families The Symposium, Healthier Homes, Stronger Families: Public Approaches to Healthy Housing, took place on June 2, 2004, in downtown Washington, D.C. and was funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. A follow-up report, funded by the Fannie Mae Foundation, was issued in November 2004. For more information, please contact Rebecca Morley at rmorley@centerforhealthyhousing.org

There are many potential health benefits of window replacement including: lead hazard reduction, energy efficiency, and moisture controls. CDC is funding NCHH to investigate the benefits of window replacement and prepare a position paper for the CDC. NCHH is bringing together a panel of experts to weigh the pros and cons of window replacement from different professional perspectives. NCHH is interested in researching whether windows should be promoted as the silver bullet for lead poisoning prevention. Other research by NCHH suggests that all floor dust lead sources must also be addressed. Please click here to read the report, "Window Replacement Symposium, Analysis of Breakout Group Responses."

NCHH is partnering with The Enterprise Foundation, Rutgers University and the National Historic Trust, to write Best Practice Solutions to Barriers to Affordable Rehabilitation. Topics include lead-based paint, asbestos, radon, energy, accessibility, and Davis-Bacon Act requirements. For more information, please contact Rebecca Morley at rmorley@centerforhealthyhousing.org

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Training and Technical Assistance
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Policy