Analyzing Affordable Housing Mandates & Public Health Initiatives

This report delves into the critical intersection of affordable housing mandates and public health in the United States, highlighting the pervasive issue of homelessness and its far-reaching consequences. It examines the efforts of various organizations dedicated to providing affordable housing and preventing homelessness, including The National Coalition for the Homeless, Volunteers of America, Catholic Charities USA, StandUp for Kids, and HELP U.S.A, alongside local community initiatives. The report advocates for community-centered approaches to improving informal housing, strategic investment in housing production trust funds, and the surveying of public land for building opportunities. Furthermore, it emphasizes the potential for significant improvements in health outcomes through affordable housing, such as reduced stress, better access to healthcare and nutritious food, and improved mental health. The report concludes by stressing the need for broader societal awareness and policy changes to effectively address the affordable housing crisis and its associated health implications, suggesting that engaging with government officials like the president and the deputy secretary of housing and urban development is crucial for driving meaningful change.

Running head: AFFORDABLE HOUSING MANDATES
AFFORDABLE HOUSING MANDATES
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

Abstract
Public health is a deep rooted subject where every issue is interrelated. In the similar
way, homelessness is a social issue which has direct and indirect impact on society and public
health. The struggle of homelessness is being combated by different organizations in the USA by
different methods. This report is a elaborated version of the struggle of homelessness,
comprising of the concept of homelessness and the situation in the USA. The major focus is the
organizations fighting to prevent people becoming homeless and helping the homeless people
achieve affordable housing. Also, an idea of interacting with media and government officials is
included, that describes the opportunity of the interaction.

Introduction:
In the United States, the term affordable housing is used to refer housing that is within
reach of everyone’s income. It includes housing of both types: rental and occupied by the owner.
The united state government regards affordable the housing that costs at or below people’s 30
percent of income (Schwartz, 2014). The affordable housing is when people with a median
household income comfortably buy the housing. Housing affordability is usually measured by
comparing housing prices and income of an individual. The costs of housing have been
increasing drastically and causing a massive crisis in affordable housing (Karki, 2015). The
paper aims to focus on one of the public health problems which are the affordable housing
mandates in the United States. The paper discusses the issue of affordable housing and the
communities that are contributing to reducing the problem in society. The solution to providing
equal distribution of modest house is the second focus of the paper followed by several important
facts and resources that would make the problem more comfortable in dealing. Lastly, the paper
involves the concept of including government officials and how that would be beneficial to
approach the problem.
Discussion:
U.S. Homelessness Assistance Organizations: Although the United States is one among the
wealthy countries it has been facing challenges when comes to providing homes for each citizen.
The economy pressurizes more people each day to surrender their homes and live on streets and
cars. There are many organizations that are known to work on this particular issue (Rahman,
Turner, & Elbedour, 2015). The National Coalition for the Homeless is one such organization

based on a network of people who have experienced homelessness or are currently homeless.
They try their best to provide homes to such people and also protect their fundamental civil
rights. They mainly seek ideas and inputs from the people who have been homeless firsthand
(Winn et al., 2013). The Volunteers of America is an organization helping people facing the
eviction. They assist with the transitional housing for the homeless people until permanent
housing are found and also prevent people from becoming homeless. This organization has been
aware of the fact that providing housing is not the only solution but also preventing people from
becoming homeless is a concern (Brown et al., 2013). Catholic Charities USA, an organization
with the belief that each person possesses the right to be safe, with housing within their budget as
an essential to lead a fruitful life. The organization also aids the homeless as well as people
having the probability to lose their home. They assist with shelter in crisis, mortgage payments,
non-permanent, supportive, intermediate housing for the people in need. The mission of the
StandUp for Kids is to put an end to the housing issue of youth homelessness. They individually
work for the kids living on the street and young parents who find it hard to afford to house in the
USA. The organization HELP U.S.A firmly believes that all people deserves to be safe and
deserves stable housing. HELP U.S.A runs programs that are for the homeless prevention,
programs that are for the emergency, transitional housing or permanent rental properties
(Desmond, 2018). They mainly work to prevent people from becoming homeless since they
believe that the issue can be solved if people are prevented from becoming homeless.
Along with all the organizations, there are local agencies based on volunteers, churches
in approximately every town and city across America. The problem with the local bodies is the
funding however they try their best to provide food, health checks, and clothing (Coontz, 2016).

A partner for change: The problem urban dwellers have been facing and grabbed attention is
the affordable housing in America. There have been actions taken by the government, private
organizations and non-profit organizations. However, there are a few ways that can contribute to
bringing change and improve the lives of people. The first critical suggestion is the city should
avoid relocating the people and trying to improve the existing areas of informal housing
involving the communities in the process. The conventional approach in numerous places is to
remove the poor residents and destroy their homes to make way for the development. This
process would have an adverse effect on the population. This would lead to the formation of
informal settlements. However, improving the same places and securing it would contribute to a
well-functioning area where the neighbourhoods will define good cities and provide homes in the
existing space. The investment in the housing production trust funds will help develop financial
support for the ones dealing with the problem. The money can be used to build more buildings
with accommodation suitable for the low-income and working-class residents. The Surveying of
public land for building opportunities would help to add up space for the real estate. There
should be an inspection of the areas that are used unnecessarily. Also, investigation of the land
that will determine the capability of the number of floors a building should be done so to avoid
extra expenditure. There can be a contribution from the people who are far from the housing
problem by assisting the students, young workers by providing a room in their own house in low
rents. In this process, the young people who do not need bigger homes can quickly adjust. Also,
the old houses, mostly obsolete that the owners tend to leave after better job opportunity or
marriages can be of great help to the ones who are homeless or has a possibility of becoming
homeless. The owner does not use these houses as it grows old and away from the owner’s

preferable location. Therefore, owning such a home becomes an opportunity in helping in
resolving the problem of affordable housing.
Interaction with the media to seek help: Looking at the problem of affordable housing through
the health equity lens, several factors can be focused. Solving the problem of affordable housing
can bring many changes to the health-related aspect. The list of benefits has been provided
below:
1. Affordable housing can help improving health outcomes by releasing family resources for
healthcare expenditure and daily nourishments (Benner & Karner, 2016).
2. The problem of housing is a significant problem as the person lacks shelter. Therefore,
providing residential stability can lessen stress and related unfavorable health outcomes (Austin,
Gurran & Whitehead, 2014).
3. Affordable homeownership can have a positive impact on a person’s mental health whereas
when instability of homeownership is formed, a person has a negative effect on health.
4. There can be reduced health problem in a well-maintained and well-constructed housing
which is often not the same in poor quality of housing.
5. The permanent and reasonably priced housing can improve health factors for individuals
when it is the matter of chronic illness by proving an efficient platform for healthcare delivery
(Nguyen, Basolo & Tiwari, 2013).).
6. Having access to a neighborhoods of opportunity can help in reducing stress and maintain
good mental health.

7. Also, having access to a neighborhood can increase better entrance to amenities which lead
to significant health benefits.
8. By removing crowed surrounding, inexpensive housing can reduce the vulnerability caused
by stress giver and infectious diseases.
9. Having the privilege of the reasonably priced housing allows the survivors of household
violence move to go far from abusive homes. This improves the mental health of the survivors
along with physical safety.
10. The affordable and accessible housing also gives the older adults ease retirement life
(Ragin & Palandjian, 2013).
Given a chance to organize a meeting to brief officials in government about the social
determinants of health inequities in the specified community, the preferred officials would be the
president and the deputy secretary of housing and urban development of United States. Since the
problem is not a micro level social problem, it demands considerable attention. The problem of
affordable housing includes long-term health problem in macro level. Therefore, the officials
who would be able to bring amendments promptly are the president and the deputy secretary of
housing and urban area development.
Conclusion:
Although the problem of providing housing in the affordable price is only increasing with
the growing population, the initiative is being undertaken by several organizations. Several
organizations are working to produce innovative strategies to fight against the social issue. To
eliminate the social problem is a big challenge for the organizations, however, the different

approaches are being developed. Moreover, there needs to be an overall change in the humanity.
It is after the people changed behaviour and awareness among the people about the health
problems causing due to insufficient houses, the different policies and methods will accelerate
the process.

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