Each of us want a safe, stable home for our families and everyone in our community. Evidence supports this: affordable housing is foundational to vibrant communities and supports collective wellbeing. Where we live can determine whether have safe places to play and be active; quality jobs and schools; and transportation to get us where we need to go.
Yet millions of people in America live in substandard or overcrowded housing, temporary shelters, in cars, and on streets. Residential segregation isolates people from opportunities, and creates long-lasting disadvantages. For many, the inability to access quality housing compounds many other challenges and makes it much harder to be healthy and break out of poverty.
Policymakers and the public alike often overlook and misunderstand housing’s profound effect on health. To address this, in his Annual Message message, RWJF President and CEO Richard Besser, MD, discusses how safe and affordable housing supports positive outcomes across the lifespan—and how unsafe and insecure housing can deepen inequity.
He shares stories from housing initiatives across the country—from Boligee, Ala., to Chelsea, Mass., to San Antonio. These examples show that improving the quality and affordability of housing also improves health. Safe and affordable housing—an essential part of efforts to transform under resourced neighborhoods into thriving communities—is a pathway to helping communities thrive.
In this post, we share illustrations that reflect the lessons this important work has taught us. We also revisit past Voices blog posts in which experts explored the role of housing as a determinant of health. With a focus on housing as a key to health, we hope to unlock better health for all.