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Enterprise, Center for Housing Policy Link Health, Educational Success to Housing
Published: July 26, 2007
By Kelly Sheehan, Online News Editor
Washington, D.C. -- Two new research analyses of the impact of housing on health and education reveal the critical role of decent, affordable rental and ownership homes, according to Enterprise Community Partners and the Center for Housing Policy, the organizations that conducted the research.
According to Kristin Siglin, vice president of Enterprise Community Partners, the surveys highlight the importance of affordable housing in helping people get “up and out” of poverty.
According to the organizations, about 14 million children under the age of six live in housing built before 1960, which means that they are more likely to suffer from increased lead exposure and lead poisoning than other children who don’t.
Children who live in good housing conditions—free from pesticides, mold and infestations—are less likely to develop asthma and, as a result, miss school. The research also found that children who live in stable housing where they move less frequently are more likely to score well on reading and math tests. They’re also less likely to drop out of school than children who move regularly.
Children in low-income families who receive housing assistance are about 50 percent less likely to suffer from iron deficiencies than children who live in families who don’t receive aid. In addition, children in low-income families who receive housing assistance in the form of housing vouchers live in better neighborhoods and are less likely to move frequently, experience crowding and miss school, compared to children in families who do not receive vouchers.
Children of homeowners scored up to nine percent higher on math and up to seven percent higher on reading tests than their peers in families who rented their homes. Additionally, their families achieve better physical and mental health outcomes compared to renters, including fewer long-term illnesses as well as lower blood pressure and depression levels.
“Our goal is to ensure that affordable housing becomes part of the national debate by framing the important connections between housing and key social outcomes, and documenting how stronger housing policies can help America’s children and their families realize a brighter future,” says Jeffrey Lubell, executive director of the Center for Housing Policy.
