Research Report Urban Blight and Public Health
Subtitle
Addressing the Impact of Substandard Housing, Abandoned Buildings, and Vacant Lots
Erwin de Leon, Joseph Schilling
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We spend more than 2/3rds of our time where we live; thus, housing and neighborhood conditions invariably affect our individual and family’s well-being. The health impacts from blighted properties—substandard housing, abandoned buildings, and vacant lots—are often not immediately visible or felt. This report—Urban Blight and Public Health—synthesizes recent studies on the complexities of how blight affects the health of individuals and neighborhoods while offering a blend of policy and program recommendations to help guide communities in taking a more holistic and coordinated approach, such as expanding the use of health impact assessments, tracking health outcomes, and infusing public health into housing policies, codes and practices.
Research Areas Health and health care Neighborhoods, cities, and metros Social safety net
Tags Poverty Federal urban policies Multifamily housing Social determinants of health
Policy Centers Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center