Social Determinants of Health

A: This term means different things to people in the health sector and the community development or organizing sectors, which can get confusing.

When a Wisconsin health care system needed to clear space for a parking lot, it sold the homes for $1 and donated land to move them to.

During the pandemic, community development organizations had to work double-time to adapt to residents’ needs. For some, that work yielded important lessons about better helping their communities, permanently.

The Missoula City-County Health Department is working to expand health equity through a full-time government position, five years after a health initiative brought new sidewalks to low-income neighborhoods.

When a St. Louis-based group convened public housing residents to talk about infant mortality, they discovered a serious housing issue that affected tenants’ health. To the organization’s credit, they didn’t turn away from the problem.

Housing may not be on the list of solutions for the maternal and infant mortality crisis. But research—and successful programs—shows that it should be.

Deferred home maintenance can lead to serious structural, safety, and health issues. A new program in Pennsylvania aims to fill the gaps in home repair and weatherization programs.

Two years after the pandemic began, community development organizations reflect on what’s changed and how they’re moving forward. Some are still in crisis mode; others are refocusing their work.

Support at all stages of an eviction could help vulnerable tenants navigate the process, avoid being removed from their home, or if they are evicted, help them catch their footing.

For children who have asthma, pests like cockroaches and mice can trigger allergic reactions and lead to recurring and expensive hospital visits. Could insurers save money by investing in housing-based improvements like pest management services?

How did the racial wealth gap begin? And why has it been so hard to fix? Shelterforce’s Miriam Axel-Lute and others discuss these topics in a webinar hosted by County Health Rankings & Roadmaps.

Building trust takes time. How does that factor into project timelines, and what recommendations do housing development leaders have for others seeking to shift to more resident-centered practices.