The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the availability of $40 million in grants through its Healthy Homes Production Grant Program (HHP) to fix older housing, preserve affordable housing and improve the health of children and families.
“Access to safe, stable and affordable housing is a critical social determinant of health and a priority of this department,” HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge said in a release. “These grants will help protect families and children from health and safety hazards and support community efforts to provide healthy and sustainable housing for their most vulnerable residents.”
HHP is part of HUD’s overall Healthy Homes Initiative which enables communities to address multiple housing-related hazards in a comprehensive fashion. The HHP program is designed to help children and other vulnerable residents reach their full potential by preventing injuries and diseases, lowering healthcare costs and improving their overall quality of life.
Recipients of the grants are required to use the money to:
Find and eliminate housing-related health and safety hazards in privately owned, low-income rental and/or owner-occupied housing, especially in units and/or buildings where families with children, adults 62 years and older or families with persons with disabilities live.
Conduct public education and outreach activities that raises awareness of housing-related health and safety hazards and that identifies individuals and families for grant services.
Develop a professional workforce that is trained in conducting healthy homes assessments.
Develop partnerships to assist in meeting program goals.
Promote collaboration, data sharing and targeting between health and housing departments.
HUD said applications for the grant funds are due Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022, by 11:59 p.m. EST.