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03/29/2024 04:03 AM
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20230&cosponId=40008
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House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: February 28, 2023 03:58 PM
From: Representative Ismail Smith-Wade-El
To: All House members
Subject: Resolution to Study the Impact of Housing and Health Quality
 
Approximately 71% of Pennsylvania homes were constructed before 1978. Our aging housing stock continues to exacerbate health issues by exposing residents, including children and older adults, to lead contamination, poor ventilation, ill-constructed waste systems, and other unsafe and toxic conditions inherent from older construction methods.
 
Substandard housing is well-documented as a contributing factor to negative health outcomes and can perpetuate economic struggle and housing insecurity for some of our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians. The physical condition, stability, and affordability of housing – as well as the availability of support services correlated to housing – all contribute to the overall health of a household and decrease demand for health and social services.
 
There are significant opportunities to provide housing with integrated health care solutions that are now being pioneered across the Commonwealth. I am introducing a resolution to direct the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC) to conduct a study on the impact of housing on health quality. In particular, the study will examine health care costs associated with substandard housing and how much public and private funds can be saved by addressing the problem by producing affordable housing that is linked to local health care and social service systems. The LBFC will reach out to relevant stakeholders to gain insight on the impact housing has on our health and provide recommendations for housing solutions.
 
Everyone deserves a safe and healthy home. Not only does stable and affordable housing decrease the cost of public support services, but it can improve the health and quality of life of our fellow Pennsylvanians. Collecting information on health outcomes disaggregated by housing will allow us to identify appropriate policy changes to improve outcomes, reduce costs, and save lives. I hope you will consider joining me in co-sponsoring this study. 
 



Introduced as HR66