Housing and Health
Healthy housing is affordable, safe, and supportive.
A healthy home is one where the physical, mental, and socioeconomic environment supports the well-being of household members. The health of our bodies is dependent on the health of our homes, so what is a healthy a home?
Healthy housing is critical to well-being and very intertwined with affordability.
Households who spend less on housing are less like to experience residential instability, which can lead to negative mental and physical health outcomes. When families are spending less on housing, they are able able to devote sufficient funds to healthcare, nutritious food, and other important costs.
Affordable housing should be kept up to the same high standards of private, market rate entities, and the stress of affordability shouldn’t cost people their health.
Please check out our most current project, Healthy Housing Initiative.
On this page you will find research, and current programs on the links between housing and health, but also the importance of healthy housing.
Housing is Healthcare:
Recent Investments:
Kaiser Pemanente pledges $200 million towards fighting homelessness and affordable housing
Housing First model as healthcare
Research:
The Relationship Between Housing and Health (PEW)
Making the Connections Between Housing and Health (Shelterforce)
Housing and Health (WHO)
The Relationship between Housing and Health: Children at Risk (NCBI)
The Impacts of Affordable Housing on Health (Center for Housing Policy)
The Connection between Health and Housing: The Evidence and Policy Landscape
The Housing and Health Connection (HUD)
Housing is Health Care (National Health Care for the Homeless Council)
HDC Housing & Health Infographic Series
HDC Housing and Health Report Out
Tukwila, only city in King County to embrace National Healthy Housing Standards!
Moving Forward:
- Support current programs, initiatives, and grants that are working to address both health and housing and their intersection.
- Advocate for policies that enforce healthy building codes to maintain livable conditions and promote healthier outcomes in affordable housing residents.
