SLCo Brings Green & Healthy Homes Initiative to Utah

Salt Lake County Brings
The Green & Healthy Homes
Initiative to Utah

Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon signed an agreement yesterday designed to boost Salt Lake’s efforts to make the county a leader in the green economy. By signing the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative™ (GHHI) Compact, the mayor formalized the county’s commitment to work toward the implementation of an integrated system to deliver healthy housing programs for vulnerable families and children in Salt Lake.

Families with young children in particular can benefit from the GHHI because children are especially vulnerable to health and safety hazards found in the home. Children have rapidly developing bodies that are more susceptible to the effects of environmental toxins. Families participating in the GHHI will learn how to create a safe and healthy home environment.

The GHHI includes an in-home assessment and energy audit. Based on this assessment, an intervention plan is created for the home. These interventions cover a broad range of issues and may include: mold remediation, weather-stripping, caulking to seal holes and air leakage, improving insulation, replacing air filters, lead hazard prevention, radon testing and mediation, and installation of smoke and CO alarms. These interventions will help lower utility bills as well as improve health, reducing health care costs associated with asthma, lead poisoning and other home-based health and safety hazards.

For households with a child or adult with asthma, the family will learn specific ways to reduce asthma triggers in the home. About 240,000 Utahns – 9% of adults and 7% of children – have asthma. “Every day, an average of 20 people in Utah have an asthma attack so severe they need treatment at a hospital,” said Kellie Baxter, Health Program Specialist for the Utah Department of Health Asthma Program.

Environmental triggers play an important part in asthma management, explains Michelle Hofmann, M.D., a pediatrician in Salt Lake. “Medical treatment alone is not sufficient to address the most severe cases of asthma,” said Hofmann. “The Green & Healthy Homes Initiative will help families recognize the importance of environment in asthma management and how to reduce asthma triggers in their home. This can prevent asthma symptoms and help reduce health care costs associated with asthma episodes.”

“We are grateful for Mayor Corroon’s leadership on GHHI in Salt Lake and throughout Utah,” said Ruth Ann Norton, executive director of the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative. “The GHHI platform is helping local communities across the country deliver integrated and collaborative health and housing services to low-income families that more efficiently and cost-effectively implements federally-funded programs,” continued Norton. “With GHHI, children are healthier, families have safer and more energy efficient homes - and lower utility bills - and health insurance costs decline due to fewer housing-related health issues.”

The signing of the GHHI compact marks the beginning stages to develop the program in Salt Lake County. Randy Jepperson, Manager of the Salt Lake County Housing Program, has been instrumental in bringing the program to Utah. “We are excited to bring this program to Salt Lake County and believe it will help improve housing and health for those who are most in need,” said Jepperson. “We are grateful for the support of Mayor Corroon and our partners who are making this ideal become a reality.”

Mayor Corroon was joined at the compact signing by representatives from the Salt Lake County Housing Program, University of Utah Department of Pediatrics, Utah Department of Health, Intermountain Healthcare, Salt Lake Valley Habitat for Humanity, Neighborworks Salt Lake, Valley Services, and Community Development Corporation of Utah.

The national GHHI effort is led by the Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning in partnership with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Council on Foundations.

By making homes healthy, safe and energy efficient, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates that GHHI’s first 3500 units will save more than $325 million in energy and health care costs and improve the quality of life for children and families. To date, the work in the current 17 GHHI sites has achieved 20 to 25% savings in home repair costs; annual energy cost reductions of $450 per household; significant reduction in children's hospital visits due to asthma; and improved school attendance and academic performance.

For more information on the GHHI Salt Lake, visit:
       http://greenandhealthyhomessaltlake.org

About the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative™

The Green & Healthy Homes Initiative™ (GHHI) works in collaboration with local and federal agencies, and philanthropic partners to align, braid, and coordinate funding and programs to create green, healthy, and safe homes in low-income communities nationwide.

Directed by the Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning (Coalition), with support from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Energy and national and local foundations GHHI replaces stand-alone programs with a comprehensive strategy to improve health, economic and social outcomes through an integrated housing intervention framework.


Brought to you by:

Casio Altitude Barometer Watch
New outdoor watch with capabilities that measure temperature & altitude/air pressure.