Improving the health of people and communities starts with ensuring access to safe, secure, and affordable homes.
This collection features initiatives supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and resources for communities working toward healthier, more equitable housing.
Far too many people in the United States—especially Black, Latino, and Indigenous people—have long faced insurmountable housing inequities that have limited their opportunities for health. This includes decades of discriminatory housing and lending practices.
These inequities, coupled with rising housing costs and stagnant wages, have left many families unable to pay for other basic expenses, including food and healthcare. The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the housing disparities in our country, and made it clear that a safe and secure home is critical to achieving good health. This holds true for people across the country—in communities large and small, rural and urban.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is working alongside others to build a Culture of Health that provides everyone in America the opportunity to live the healthiest life possible, regardless of where they live, their race or ethnicity, or how much money they earn. Bringing this vision to life will require bold, evidence-based strategies for increasing access to safe, affordable, and stable homes in communities with access to good schools, fair-paying jobs, grocery stores, and green spaces.