Healthy Homes Programs

Environmental hazards in the home harm millions of children each year. In 1999, in response to a Congressional Directive over concerns about child environmental health, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) launched its Healthy Homes Initiative (HHI) to protect children and their families from housing-related health and safety hazards. HUD has developed a Healthy Homes Strategic plan that lays out the next steps our office will take to advance the healthy homes agenda nationwide. Please take time to review this key document.

What's the Purpose of the Healthy Homes Program?

The Healthy Homes Program addresses multiple childhood diseases and injuries in the home. The Initiative takes a comprehensive approach to these activities by focusing on housing-related hazards in a coordinated fashion, rather than addressing a single hazard at a time. The HHI builds upon HUD's successful Lead Hazard Control programs to expand its efforts to address a variety of environmental health and safety concerns including: mold, lead, allergens, asthma, carbon monoxide, home safety, pesticides, and radon.

Making a Difference: Healthy Homes Grant Activities

Our grants focus on researching and demonstrating low-cost, effective home hazard assessment and intervention methods, as well as on public education that stresses ways in which communities can mitigate housing-related hazards. The Healthy Homes Demonstration Program and Healthy Homes Technical Studies are OHHLHC's two grant programs. Eligible activities may include:

• Developing low-cost methods for hazard assessment and intervention
• Evaluating the effectiveness of interventions
• Building local capacity to educate residents and mitigate hazards
• Developing and delivering public-education programs

Everyone deserves to live in a safe and healthy home. Your home has as much of an impact on the health of its residents as their lifestyle and diet. "Healthy Homes" is a century-old concept that promotes safe, decent, and sanitary housing as a means for preventing disease and injury.

A healthy home is one that is dry, clean, safe, well-ventilated, free of pests and contaminants, well-maintained, and thermally comfortable. Learn more about the eight principles of a healthy home(PDF, 474KB).

The City of Wilmington’s Healthy Homes Program(PDF, 122KB) provides grant assistance to eligible residents to correct home health hazards that pose a risk to their health and safety. Healthy Homes grant assistance covers critical roof repairs, electrical repairs, plumbing repairs, door and window repairs or replacements, structural interior and exterior home repairs, mold remediation, pest control, and other home hazards.

Eligible households/housing units are privately owned or low-income rental and/or owner-occupied housing where low-income persons (below 80% AMI HUD Adjusted Home Income Limits for the Wilmington area) reside.

Priority will be given to low-income households/housing units where families with children, adults 62 years or older, or persons with disabilities reside.

All households/housing units must be within the city limits of Wilmington, North Carolina.

The City of Wilmington does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, age, national origin, religion or disability in its employment opportunities, programs, services or activities. Program subject to change without notice. Other restrictions may apply. Equal housing lender.