With the support of The Kresge Foundation, NCHH is expanding and “scaling up” its efforts to eradicate unhealthy living conditions through a new initiative called the Grassroots Advocacy Network for Healthy Housing. The Grassroots Advocacy Network will develop local solutions to the challenging problem of substandard housing and neighborhoods.
NCHH will facilitate peer communication, offer technical assistance and capacity building support, disseminate promising practices in organizing and housing policy, and provide opportunities for involvement in national advocacy work.
NCHH awards subgrants of up to $15,000 to community-based organizations to:
-
Create local demand for healthy housing through media outreach, policy advocacy, community meetings, and other activities;
-
Educate policymakers and the public about unhealthy conditions;
-
Hold public agencies accountable (e.g. to ensure that local housing maintenance codes are enforced);
-
Create and sustain valuable collaboration between the public and private sectors and within government; and
-
Other methods most appropriate to the local context.
First-year results from this program:
-
In Lewiston, ME, housing code enforcement activities are now at an all-time high due to the work of The Visible Community, whose weekly meetings with the housing code office are improving accountability. Seriously deteriorated buildings are suspended from rental activity while at the same time property owners are adding other affordable safe housing units to the inventory. The group is exploring a way to hold banks accountable for keeping foreclosed properties in decent repair through a fine of up to $500 a day for code violations. This policy has been used in Denver CO and Oakland CA.
-
In Chicago, IL, a mandatory inspection program is actively moving forward.
-
In Grand Rapids, MI, the City Council enacted an ordinance which would add systematic inspections of single family housing (previously, only multi-family units were covered). This will be a good model for other places since it is typical for one and two units to be left out of the inspection process and data show that these units are frequently high risk for lead.
2011 Grantees [URL]
2012 Grantees [URL]