How Affordable Housing Benefits Health
The absence of housing cost burden improves people’s physical and mental health.
When people can afford where they live, they have more access to healthcare and restaurants and grocery stores that sell healthier food.
When people can afford where they live, they have more access to healthcare and restaurants and grocery stores that sell healthier food.
- Individuals or families that are housing cost-burdened often can’t afford nutritious foods, health insurance (11), or preventative care (1), which can cause or exacerbate chronic illnesses (2) (10).
- When people have access to quality affordable housing options, they’re more likely to have access to healthier foods (2) (11), routine medical care (2) (11), and amenities that quality neighborhoods could offer (5).
- Many affordable housing developments are built with walkability and proximity to parks and recreational areas in mind, which promotes physical activity for residents (1).
- When housing cost burden is harder to avoid, the housing that low-income people have access to can likely be poorly constructed or maintained. This can expose residents to: