Where you live and your ability to obtain housing has a direct impact on nearly every facet of life: education, employment opportunities, safety, cost of living, social circles, exposure to green space, cultural experiences and, of course, your overall health. April is National Fair Housing Month, so it’s a great time to discuss the correlation between our homes and wellbeing. 

Melody Goodman, a biostatistician and Vice Dean for Research at NYU, gave a keynote address to Harvard School of Public Health in which she stated, “Your zip code is a better predictor of your health than your genetic code.” Specifically, research has shown that up to 60% of health outcomes are based on zip codes rather than genetics. Pinpointing environmental causes for health issues is a complex matter with many systemic and socioeconomic structures at play. Here are just a few ways that people’s physical states are deeply impacted by where they live.

access to healthcare

Those living in rural communities tend to have less access to healthcare as there aren’t as many medical facilities, particularly specialists, within a close commute. Residents in low income neighborhoods, whether rural or urban, also face greater discrepancies because medical facilities in these areas are under-resourced and more likely to close than facilities in wealthier communities.

In addition to physical barriers, it’s no surprise that areas with less economic stability are likely to have more low income and uninsured residents who forgo preventative services and treatment. Unreliable transportation—due to lack of public transit or lack of funds for a lengthy commute even if the household has access to a car—serves as another hurdle that intersects the issues of proximity and income.

physical activity and green space

Your favorite fitness influencer might believe that the only thing standing between you and a six-pack is motivation but that’s a fairly myopic perspective for many reasons, one of which being the vast research regarding housing’s effect on physical activity. Roughly 31.4% of US households live in multi-family homes. Completing an at-home exercise routine is a bit more challenging when your neighbors are begging you to keep it down. 

So why not hit the gym or go outside? Many people live in what’s known as an “exercise desert,” a term coined by kinesiology professor, NiCole Keith, PHD, FACSM. Exercise deserts are areas with less opportunities to stay active due to the built environment. There are a myriad of reasons for this: lack of nearby playgrounds or affordable gyms, busy roadways, poor infrastructure for pedestrians and bikers, or high crime rates. Keith notes that low-income and minority neighborhoods are more likely to be exercise deserts. 

Inadequate green spaces are another stressor that are more predominant in low-income, residentially crowded neighborhoods. Green space is exactly what it sounds like— a community area with vegetation as opposed to blighted, vacant lots. According to the CDC, less than 50% of all Americans live within half a mile of a park. Studies have shown that exposure to green spaces offer huge benefits to wellbeing. It reduces blood pressure and stress levels, promotes physical activity, improves the cardiovascular effects of exercise, and enhances memory and attention. 

Green spaces also contribute positively to the environment which, in turn, improves the lives of those who live nearby. Urban forests (green spaces in cities) alleviate storm flooding, improve air and water quality, regulate the temperature, and store carbon in the soil thereby reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

air pollution

It shouldn’t come as a shock that closer proximity to heavy traffic or industrial zones equates to more air pollution. Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) is an air pollutant that has been linked to cardiovascular disease, respiratory issues, diabetes, neurodegenerative disease, and various other health problems. The Shriver Center on Poverty Law in Chicago released a report in 2020 that found that 70% of hazardous waste sites on the EPA’s National Priorities List are located within 1 mile of federally assisted housing. Another nationwide analysis found that PM 2.5 exposure is significantly higher in Black, Hispanic, disabled, and low-income households residing in public housing.

According to the American Lung Association, more than 137 million Americans live in counties that received an F for either ozone or particle pollution in the 2022 “State of the Air.” More than 4 in 10 people live in pollution levels that frequently make the air dangerous to breathe. Particle pollution increases the risk of lung cancer, strokes, and heart attacks. Ozone and particle pollution both increase the risk of lower birth weight in newborns. Children who are exposed to air pollution are more likely to have asthma and issues with lung development.

lead exposure

To some degree, every building contains contaminants. Materials might be in small quantities that don’t pose a significant health risk and some contaminants can be easily remedied. However, older homes and poor public infrastructure can create issues on a much larger scale for occupants. 

Children in Ohio and Michigan have elevated blood lead levels at more than twice the national rate. JAMA Pediatrics, a medical journal published by the American Medical Association, found that 4.5% of Michigan children and more than 5% of Ohio children have elevated levels of lead in their system. The national average was 1.9%. Paint, pipes, soil, and commercial waste are primary sources for lead exposure. Although lead paint was discontinued in 1978, it still poses an issue in properties built prior to that year if any chipped or peeling lead paint in the home isn’t mitigated. 

Water service lines are now mostly made of galvanized iron or copper, however, it’s estimated that there are still 6.1 million lead water lines in the US. In 2021, the Natural Resources Defense Council estimated that Ohio alone has 650,000 lead pipes delivering water to resident’s homes. Ohio is the second-highest state per capita in the nation for lead lines while Michigan ranked third-highest.

Public measures are being taken for some of these issues such as testing children’s lead levels, allocating funds to infrastructure, and local legislation to combat environmental harms. However, the damage is already done for many people and there are far more ways that health is inextricably linked to housing than what’s listed here. Safe, healthy housing is a critical component of overall wellbeing and addressing housing-related issues can have a positive impact on individual and community health outcomes.

So what can you do?

• If your household has the benefit of stable, decent shelter, recognize that privilege and educate yourself on housing disparities. A great way to get involved is through your local Fair Housing Center (view Toledo, Southeast Michigan, and Wooster). We also have a list of educational resources at the bottom of the page.
• Know your rights in regards to Fair Housing. Your local center is a good source for specifics and obtaining help if you believe your rights have been violated.
• If you find yourself in a position to support or reinvest in underserved communities, the first step must be talking to residents to ensure the work is truly helpful. The goal is to improve the lives of residents without gentrifying their neighborhood.
• Keep up with local, state, and federal policies that impact housing and community improvements.