Bringing Healthy Innovations Home

There is lot of attention focused on positive lifestyle and environmental changes that reduce the incidence of, and suffering from, the near epidemic of childhood and adult asthma.

To address this pressing health issue, Seattle Housing’s High Point Team collaborated with the University of Washington School of Public Health, Neighborhood House, Public Health Seattle and King County and the American Lung Association of Washington to implement a long-range program designed to improve indoor air quality and ultimately reduce the occurrence of asthma attacks in children.

Through the program, 35 innovative Breathe-Easy Homes have been designed and built for rent to qualified low-income families. These homes incorporate special features to reduce indoor air pollutants and increase the quality of life for the residents.

The residents of the homes were chosen by completing surveys assessing the severity of their children’s asthma. Once accepted into the program, residents completed a questionnaire that serves as a baseline for monitoring.

Specialists then go to the participants’ current homes and, as much as possible, improve the air quality by educating the families. The families are then given a second questionnaire as they leave their old home for their new one at High Point. A final questionnaire will be presented to them after they have lived in their new High Point home for 12 months.

Each of the participants must follow a sensible list of rules to ensure the highest possible air quality for the children. These include no smoking, no pets, and a restriction on using certain cleaning agents.