Green and Healthy Homes Initiative and Neighborhood Stabilization

This roundtable was sponsored by the Open Society Foundations and hosted by the Green and Healthy Homes Initiative. GHHI staff presented their thesis of GHHI’s impact on foreclosure mitigation and neighborhood stabilization and solicited feedback, input and recommendations of thought leaders on how best to establish the value proposition of GHHI as an effective augment to the national housing stability agenda.

Ruth Ann Norton, executive director of GHHI, gave a presentation on their green, healthy and safe housing intervention investments and why a GHHI Standard may improve market value and long-term affordability of financially distressed housing. She also provided a summary of the OSF-funded activities in Baltimore, Chicago, and Providence.  Two NNIP partners participated in the research - the Baltimore Neigbhorhood Indicators Alliance and the Providence Plan. The application of Green & Healthy Homes Intervention Standards has the potential to provide a competitive advantage at post-foreclosure sale.  The intervention also have the potential to stabilize neighborhoods by saving struggling homeowners the costs of home maintenance, utility bills, and lost work days due to illness.

Initial Findings:

 -   First-year utility cost savings among Baltimore GHHI clients averages $403

 -  55% of current Baltimore GHHI families report less missed work time as a result of child’s asthma.