National Center for Healthy Housing

Forty percent (40%) of U.S. homes have at least one significant health or safety hazard that places American families at unnecessary risk for injuries and illness, such as lead poisoning, asthma, carbon monoxide exposure, fire, and lung cancer; fortunately, evidence-based and cost-effective solutions exist.

A wide range of programs across federal agencies work together to create healthier home environments and reduce the burden of housing-related illness and injury.

• Healthy homes programs at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) work to create and enforce standards for healthy homes, educate, equip, and train both individuals and organizations and provide support for state programs.
• Healthy homes programs at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) teach Americans how to make homes healthy and combat the hazards posed by unhealthy housing. Their programs cover topics including maternal and child healthcare, home visiting services, and home energy needs, illustrating the intersection of health and housing issues.
• At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), healthy homes programs are instrumental in equipping states, communities, decision makers, and the general public with the right data, evidence-based practices, funding, and information to improve health outcomes. CDC collects and provides data critical to screening and prevention efforts; supports states and communities conducting surveillance, provides education, and coordinates services; and provides guidance for clinicians and other professionals.  
• Healthy homes programs at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) work to provide safe, decent, and sanitary homes, fighting hazards posed by unhealthy housing. Many of HUD’s other programs, including public and tribal housing, the Federal Housing Authority, project-based Section 8, and multifamily assisted housing also spend funds on lead hazard identification and control.

Each respective agency's work both supports and complements other programs and departments across the federal government.

Published by NCHH in February 2018, these agency fact sheets were designed to share information about the following:

• Why the agency is important to healthy homes activities.
• Which specific programs are most relevant and their program activities.
• The current/historical funding numbers.
• The impact or return on investment.

See NCHH’s agency fact sheets below for more information on why support for all federal healthy homes programming is critically important.