Rationale for HUD support for IOM Committee on

Rationale for HUD support for IOM Committee on Post-Disaster Recovery of a Community's Public Health, Medical and Social Services Warren Friedman, Ph. D. , CIH Senior Advisor to the Director Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control 11/25/2013

HUD’s Healthy Homes Program FY 1999 appropriation for the Office of Lead Hazard Control: “$10, 000 shall be for a Healthy Homes Initiative, … that shall include research, studies, testing, and demonstration efforts, including education and outreach concerning lead-based paint poisoning and other housing-related environmental diseases and hazards. ” 2

Healthy Homes in HUD Strategic Plans • FY 2003 -08: Objective C 4, Mitigate housing conditions that threaten health. • FY 2006 -11: Objective C 5, Address housing conditions that threaten health. • FY 2010 -14: Sub-Goals 3 B, Utilize HUD assistance to improve health outcomes, and 4 B, Promote energy efficient buildings and location efficient communities that are healthy, affordable and diverse. 3

Healthy Homes Strategy for Action Issued 2/4/2013 by HUD, HHS (CDC, NIEHS), USDA, DOE, DOL, EPA, NIEHS Developed by Healthy Homes Work Group, & Children’s Environmental Health Task Force Builds on Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Promote Healthy Homes, and HUD’s Healthy Homes Strategic Plan, issued jointly 6/9/2009 Provides detailed framework for interoffice and interagency collaboration on making homes healthy and safe for residents 4

Safe and healthy home characteristics “The Homes Work Group believes that in the vast majority of cases, homes that meet the following characteristics can provide a safe and healthy environment for residents: Dry Contaminant free Clean Well ventilated Pest free Well maintained Safe Thermally controlled” 5

Healthy Homes Strategy for Action Goals Establish Healthy Homes recommendations Encourage adoption of Healthy Homes recommendations Create and support training and workforce development to address health hazards in housing Educate the public about healthy homes Support research that informs and advances healthy housing in a cost-effective manner 6

Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Strategy Issued 8/19/2013 by Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force of 15 agencies, 9 White House offices, chaired by HUD Secretary. Designed to “help protect communities in the region when future disasters take place. ” Based on a vision that as “we build for the future, we do so in a way that makes communities more resilient to emerging challenges such as rising sea levels, extreme heat, and more frequent and intense storms. ” 7

Rebuilding Strategy and public health Public health concerns permeate this strategy, e. g. , recommending comprehensive analyses of local/regional rebuilding needs & options: • Project design and selection processes should include assessing: • Public health and safety impacts (e. g. , injury, illness, loss of life, impacts to hospitals and healthcare facilities, and psychological impacts). … 8

Indoor Environmental Pollutants • FEMA, EPA, HUD, HHS should issue consolidated guidance on remediating indoor environmental pollutants (mold, lead, radon, asbestos). • The agencies should recommend or establish region -specific and housing-stock specific tool-kits for States and localities responding to disasters. • Tribal, State and local governments should ensure that remediation of these pollutants is in rebuilding construction/rehabilitation programs. 9

Indoor Environmental Pollutants Work Group The Indoor Environmental Pollutants Work Group, with the four agencies listed and OSHA, convened on November 5 th, and has a goal of issuing guidance by September. 10

HUD’s Connection to this Committee (1) Post-disaster recovery strategizing typically has focused on restoring physical and economic systems, in particular, the physical infrastructure, rather than on public health (including residential health and safety), medical and social services. 11

HUD’s Connection to this Committee (2) Just as HUD has worked on integrating public health issues into its housing strategies and operations, we appreciated the opportunity the IOM provided to extend this strategizing effort through the high level of expertise we expected would be provided by its establishing this Committee. We look forward to its addressing housing health and safety issues as an integral part of its efforts. 12

Contact information HUD Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control 451 7 th St. SW (8236) Washington, DC 20410 -3000 202 -755 -1785 TTY: 800 -877 -8339 www. hud. gov/healthyhomes; or www. hud. gov/offices/lead Warren Friedman, Ph. D. , CIH Warren. Friedman@HUD. gov 202 -402 -7574 13