Rebuilding Together Long Beach Awards HOPE Their "25 Safe & Healthy Housing Standards" Certificate
Recently, Rebuilding Together Long Beach (RTLB) certified seven HOPE homes as meeting their 25 Safe & Healthy Housing Standards developed in partnership with the National Center for Healthy Housing. This is important as the Center for Disease Control has determined that 23% of all homes in the U.S. are found to have unhealthy characteristics that negatively affect the wellbeing of occupants. These negative housing factors are only exacerbated for people with developmental disabilities who are often medically fragile.
Research has shown that where we live can have an even greater impact on individual and community health than health care itself. Moreover, the shortage of safe, decent, affordable homes in Los Angeles County limits where lower-income people with disabilities can live, often relegating them to substandard housing in unsafe, overcrowded neighborhoods with higher rates of poverty and fewer resources for health promotion.
That is why HOPE takes its responsibility seriously to house its residents in safe, healthy environments. When we purchase homes in the community, we complete renovations that not only serve to provide improved accessibility for future tenants but also increase overall neighborhood health. This recent certification through Rebuilding Together Long Beach demonstrates that HOPE is accomplishing this objective.
RTLB is a 501(c)(3) public charity whose mission is in part to develop partnerships within the community to rebuild owner-occupied homes and non-profit facilities for low-income residents, particularly the elderly or those with disabilities, so they may live independently with dignity. All services are at no cost to the recipient(s). Their parent organization, Rebuilding Together, Inc. is one of the nation’s leading nonprofit organizations working to preserve affordable home ownership and revitalize communities.
RTLB Executive Director Daryl James spoke about his agency’s relationship with HOPE, “The Greater Long Beach area has a multitude of nonprofits offering services to people who are low-income, elderly, disabled, or families with children. We know that with limited resources it is not always easy to address the ongoing maintenance needs that arise. That is why we want to be a part of supporting their efforts, especially if like HOPE, their mission falls directly in line with our cause.”
“When we purchase homes in the community, we complete renovations that not only serve to provide improved accessibility for future tenants but also increase overall neighborhood health”
HOPE recognizes Rebuilding Together’s more than 150 affiliate chapters and nearly 100,000 volunteers who complete around 10,000 free rehabilitation and repair projects each year. We look forward to continuing to work with RTLB in the future to ensure that all people with developmental disabilities have a healthy home that empowers them to reach their full potential.
If you are interested in supporting HOPE and our effort to maintain healthy, safe homes for our residents, please consider making a donation today.