YOU may be interested, as I am, in HUD's emerging focus on greenliviing. This is being presented as the healthy homes initiative. Here in Asheville, where greenliving is in high demand, this is promising news -for both real estate professionals and our clients. I especially like the idea that green retrofitting can improve quality of life for my market segment- baby boomers (and beyond) who are making choices about whether to move or stay in our homes. Aging-in-place is under serious consideration for many of our Asheville clients where envisioning ways to avoid preventable hazards may be appreciated in years to come.
Healthier Homes
In a press release earlier this month- "Federal Agencies Working to Make Homes Healthier- Improving housing quality can dramatically affect the health of residents" several federal agencies " unveiled Advancing Healthy Housing – A Strategy for Action. White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) ... Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ... and Urban Development (HUD)..." have opened discussions.
According to the press release, "The initiative represents a bold new vision for addressing the nation’s health and economic burdens caused by preventable hazards associated with the home...People in the United States spend about 70% of their time in a home[and] millions of... homes have moderate to severe physical housing problems, including dilapidated structure; roofing problems; heating, plumbing, and electrical deficiencies; water leaks and intrusion; pests; damaged paint; and high radon gas levels.
These conditions are associated with a wide range of health issues, including unintentional injuries, respiratory illnesses like asthma and radon-induced lung cancer, lead poisoning, result in lost school days for children, as well as lost productivity in the labor force. The health and economic burdens from preventable hazards associated with the home are considerable, and cost billions of dollars."
I would like to see the initiative include a nod to the relevance of uniiversal design elelments such as GORGEOUS grab bars as a preventative measure against falls which also are costly - on many levels.
Recommendations to Date
Establish healthy homes recommendations
Encourage adoption of healthy homes recommendations
Create and support training and workforce development to address health hazards in housing
Educate the public about healthy homes
Support research that informs and advances healthy housing in a cost-effective manner
Healthy Homes website- http://healthyhomes.hud.gov.
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