HOPE’s Focus on Creating and Maintaining Healthy Homes Is More Relevant than Ever
HOPE homes promote our residents’ well-being with beautiful landscaping, ongoing maintenance, and enhanced safety and accessibility features.
by Lauren Quijano and Ian Nevarez
At HOPE, we recognize that having a safe and healthy home is vital for our residents’ well-being, and it contributes to the overall community health of our neighborhoods. That is why, even during the global COVID-19 pandemic, HOPE must continue to carry out its mission to create stable, affordable housing for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). We acknowledge that residents with I/DD cannot be “Safer at Home” or “Shelter in Place” without a safe and healthy home in which to reside and practice social-distancing. Beyond the fact that access to stable, affordable housing is necessary to following current health guidelines, housing, in general, contributes to positive psychological, mental, and social health.
“In a survey conducted in 2020, among 82 HOPE residents, over 93% of respondents said that living in a HOPE home positively affected their health.”
A healthy home is just one piece of what makes a community healthy. When we consider community health, we also think about what people in a neighborhood can access. For example, grocery stores with healthy options, parks and a clean environment, convenient public transportation, thriving schools, and a strong public infrastructure are a few of the additional factors. When HOPE acquires and renovates substandard housing and converts these units into healthy homes, we are playing an important role in increasing the health of a neighborhood.
In contrast, having unhealthy homes or inadequate housing exposes the community and persons with I/DD to environmental hazards and injuries, negatively affecting overall community health. According to the California Health and Human Services Agency (CHHSA), “Residential crowding has been linked to an increased risk of infection from communicable diseases, a higher prevalence of respiratory ailments, and greater vulnerability to homelessness.” When housing is inadequate, it does not meet these needs to support a resident’s health, and it contributes to infectious and chronic diseases and injuries. According to the CDC’s 2009 study on inadequate and unhealthy housing, households with at least one person living with a disability are at a higher risk of living in inadequate housing.
HOPE residents inform us that housing plays a important role in their ongoing health.
Because of this, we view ensuring that our homes remain a positive contributor to residents’ health as a core part of our mission. To begin with, HOPE is thoughtful about making sure the properties we purchase are located in safe areas with adequate public transportation, services, and amenities nearby. Since the population that we serve are more vulnerable and have higher rates of physical health conditions, we need to be mindful of making sure people with developmental disabilities can easily access job centers and healthcare services. Many do not have cars, so they need to be near public transportation to access their community. During the evaluation process of acquiring new homes, we also make efforts to avoid areas of high pollution or elevated crime.
HOPE then takes its responsibility seriously to create healthy housing through our initial renovations and ongoing maintenance to help sustain the well-being of our residents. In a survey conducted in 2020, among 82 HOPE residents, over 93% of respondents said that living in a HOPE home positively affected their health. Some of our residents also have chronic health conditions that require extensive care from their Supported Living Staff to help manage. These residents believe that living in their HOPE home has aided them in maintaining a positive quality of life.
HOPE’s housing development and asset management departments are responsible for these renovations and the regular maintenance of our homes. This work is essential to guaranteeing the safety of the interiors and exteriors of our housing. We make sure the landscapes of our homes are safe, that fences are in good condition, and that there are additional rails and ramps as needed. Inside our homes we make sure the entries and pathways are accessible for residents to move around and perform everyday activities. This work includes making sure window blinds are easy for residents to adjust, hallways are widened and incorporate non-carpeted flooring for wheelchair or cane users, and bathtubs are converted to walk-in showers for residents who need these accommodations.
“There are so many people that we have to connect with to get this important work done. They include our regional center partners, service providers, property management teams, contractors, and sub-contractors, to name a few.”
HOPE Resident Ryan living healthy life with support of safe, stable housing.
HOPE’s Project Manager Rosie Diaz describes a people-first approach to addressing our residents’ needs. “What motivates me is hearing their stories and how thankful they are for being in a HOPE home.” She continues, “It is especially gratifying when you hear stories about them moving out of their parents’ homes for the first time. It is nice to hear that they are excited about their freedom and independence, and to know that we were able to provide that for them.” HOPE’s success is founded in part on decades of experience, but it doesn’t rest on past knowledge, we don’t assume to know each residents’ needs. It is about us being willing to adapt when we get their feedback and learn about their unique situations.
However, as always, collaboration is key. HOPE Housing Director Daryl James shares that in some scenarios it might take a little longer to make the HOPE magic happen. “In order for us to provide these health-related renovations, it takes planning and coordination. There are so many people that we have to connect with to get this important work done. They include our regional center partners, service providers, property management teams, contractors, and sub-contractors, to name a few.” All of these organizations are integral to the work. CFO Charles DeCuir adds that multiple financial parties are involved as well, depending on the type of project, “Our banks, lenders, grant funders, city partners, and donors are incredibly important for maintaining the fiscal health of a HOPE residence.”
We are in challenging times, and HOPE is so grateful to have such amazing collaborators helping us ensure that our residents have a chance to thrive in safe, healthy homes. Through this work, we are proud to say that we contribute to enhancing the overall community health of the cities we serve. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for a follow-up story on the relevance of HOPE's mission during the COVID-19 public health crisis and how we are directly mobilizing our housing stock to address related I/DD community needs.
To support HOPE’s effort to acquire, renovate, and maintain safe, healthy housing, please consider making a gift through the HOPE Helps gift catalog here.