The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced a $39 million award to city, county, and Native American tribal governments, and non-profit organizations in 15 states to protect children and families from home health hazards.
HUD is providing these grants through its Healthy Homes Production Grant Program [1] to identify and mitigate health and safety hazards in the homes of families of low income.
In 1999, in response to a Congressional directive over concerns about child environmental health, HUD launched its Healthy Homes Initiative (HHI) to protect children and their families from housing-related health and safety hazards. HUD has developed a Healthy Homes Strategic plan that lays out the next steps the Department will take to advance the healthy homes agenda nationwide.
"We are pleased so many local and non-profit leaders are interested in participating in this grant program in order to make the homes of low-income people safer and healthier," said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge [2]. "Our partners are acting to intentionally address home-health and safety hazards and HUD is proud to support them."
HUD’s HHI grants protect families and children by eliminating significant health and safety hazards, and support the development of local workforces to hire housing renovation contractors and healthy housing practitioners to complete critical healthy homes work.
The grants focus on researching and demonstrating low-cost, effective home hazard assessment and intervention methods, as well as on public education that stresses ways in which communities can mitigate housing-related hazards. The Healthy Homes Demonstration Program and Healthy Homes Technical Studies are the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes (OHHLHC's) two grant programs. Eligible activities may include:
- Developing low-cost methods for hazard assessment and intervention
- Evaluating the effectiveness of interventions
- Building local capacity to educate residents and mitigate hazards
- Developing and delivering public-education programs
"By providing these grants, HUD makes it clear that providing healthy and safe homes for the community is a priority," said OHHLHC Director Matthew Ammon [3]. "HUD is committed to protecting families from the impacts of unhealthy housing and to improve the health and viability of communities."
The following is a state-by-state breakdown of the funding announced:
