Unhealthy Homes Pose Danger to Families

Author: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Published: 2011/03/24 - Updated: 2024/03/26
Publication Details: Peer-Reviewed, Announcement, Notification
Category Topic: Disability Housing - Academic Publications

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: National Healthy Homes Conference to address serious health and safety concerns in American housing. These problems are particularly common among some of the nation's most vulnerable populations: children, seniors, the disabled and low-income families.

Introduction

Millions of U.S. families face health and safety hazards like mold, lead, pest infestation and the physical deterioration of their homes. These problems are particularly common among some of the nation's most vulnerable populations: children, seniors, the disabled and low-income families.

Main Content

To address these widespread issues, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture will host more than 3,000 national health and safety experts in Denver from June 20 - 23 at the National Healthy Homes Conference (NHHC). Under the theme, Leading the Nation to Healthy Homes, Families and Communities, this is the most comprehensive forum ever held on the issue.

"It's time that we move from talk to action," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. "Our goal is to ensure that every home is designed, built, rehabbed and maintained in a manner that protects the health and safety of American families. This conference encourages the exchange of critical information and presents innovative approaches and solutions to reduce home-related hazards."

The Conference will feature more than 150 educational sessions and workshops, allowing officials from the public health, housing, safety and environmental communities to collaborate and share ideas. Presentations will be made by representatives from more than 200 organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity, American Lung Association, National Center for Healthy Housing, AARP, National Association of Homebuilders and the Harvard School of Public Health.

One of the highlights of NHHC takes place prior to the official start, when HUD and Rebuilding Together rehabilitate 25 homes in a Denver neighborhood on June 18 and 19. The event, called Building a Healthy Neighborhood, will bring together more than 300 volunteers to make the homes of local families safer and healthier.

National Healthy Homes Conference

NHHC is the housing industry's most comprehensive, progressive and educational forum on the issue of healthy, safe and sustainable homes. The conference is a federally-sponsored event, bringing together a wide range of health, housing and environmental professionals to work toward making housing healthy, safe and environmentally sustainable.

HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business.

Attribution/Source(s): This peer reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and published on 2011/03/24, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.

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Citing and References

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APA: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). (2011, March 24 - Last revised: 2024, March 26). Unhealthy Homes Pose Danger to Families. Disabled World (DW). Retrieved November 24, 2025 from www.disabled-world.com/disability/housing/unhealthy.php

MLA: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). "Unhealthy Homes Pose Danger to Families." Disabled World (DW), 24 Mar. 2011, revised 26 Mar. 2024. Web. 24 Nov. 2025. <www.disabled-world.com/disability/housing/unhealthy.php>.

Chicago: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). "Unhealthy Homes Pose Danger to Families." Disabled World (DW). Last modified March 26, 2024. www.disabled-world.com/disability/housing/unhealthy.php.

Permalink: <a href="https://www.disabled-world.com/disability/housing/unhealthy.php">Unhealthy Homes Pose Danger to Families</a>: National Healthy Homes Conference to address serious health and safety concerns in American housing.

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