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Welcome to the Greensboro Housing Coalition blog.  GHC is a non-profit housing advocacy organization in Greensboro, North Carolina.  This blog will provide information on our projects and housing issues in Greensboro and Guilford County.  We’ll also post information about fair housing, healthy homes, homeownership and foreclosure prevention, homelessness, and sustainabiltiy and energy.

Please feel free to post comments.  We need many voices to help us all through the housing crisis!

Homeownership, Foreclosures, and the Loss of Dreams

Home ownership is the cornerstone of the American Dream. We like to think of our homes as safe havens, small islands of sovereign territory within our complete control. The housing crisis has shattered that illusion. Foreclosure has become an epidemic of sorts, a brick and mortar H1N1, with effects that ripple out beyond the immediate victims. A study by the Center for Responsible Lending (www.responsiblelending.org) completed in May projects a total of 2.4 million foreclosures for all loans, not just subprime instruments, in 2009. The effect on those who lose their homes is obvious: loss of the home, loss of equity, lowered credit scores, disruption of routines, and insecurity about the future. But the losses don’t stop there. Spillover effects include:

• Decreases in property values. The CRL study projects that 69.5 million homes will lose an average of $7200 each for a total loss of $502 billion for the U.S. as a whole
• More demands on local governments. One foreclosure can cost local governments up to $34,000 in increased costs for law enforcement services, trash pickup, and delinquent utility bills. At the same time foreclosures shrink the tax base. Less money is coming in while more money for programs is needed. http://money.howstuffworks.com/personal-finance/debt-management/foreclosure3.htm
• Increased crime. Vacant houses are often vandalized and stripped of copper wiring, gutters, doors and other “parts”.  People may also find vacant houses convenient for squatting, drug deals, and other unsavory activities.

Unfortunately, the end of the loan defaults and foreclosures is not in sight.  CRL predicts that between 2009 and 2012 there will be 9 million foreclosures resulting in a $1.9 trillion loss in property values for 92 million U.S. families.

So what can you do?

1)     Protect yourself: Keep track of your finances.  If you see that you may have trouble making mortgage payments seek help from HUD certified housing counselors.  (GHC is certified. Call us at 691-9521 to make an appointment.)  The Department of Housing and Urban Development website has excellent information at www.hud.gov/foreclosure/. Never pay anyone who claims they can stop your foreclosure; these are scams! All counseling at HUD approved sites is free.

2)     Support regulatory reform: While some people are defaulting on loans due to their own wishful thinking, lending institutions are responsible for pushing questionable loans on buyers (particularly minorities) with assurances that they were safe. The Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act co-sponsored by Brad Miller (D-NC), Mel Watt (D-NC) and Barney Frank (D-MA) sets out sweeping reforms in lending (http://www.speaker.gov/blog/?p=1784). President Obama has proposed establishing a Consumer Financial Products Agency to oversee lending institutions and protect consumers. See http://www.financialstability.gov/docs/regs/FinalReport_web.pdf. Contact your representatives to voice your opinion.

3)     Support your community: When you help GHC (www.greensborohousingcoalition.com) and other organizations prevent foreclosures and create safe, affordable and fair housing opportunities you are helping yourself and the entire community as well. The housing crisis affects us all, and it will take all of us to turn it around.

Housing and Health Care

The Robert Woods Johnson Foundation released a report from its Commission to Build a Healthier America.  Recognizing that health care reform must acknowledge  that “health is shaped by where …we live, learn, work, and play” the Commission developed 10 recommendations, including one targeting housing. RWJ proposes developing a health impact rating system for housing and mobilizing public and private entities to make all homes safe.

How does housing effect health? When homes are mold free, pest free, dry, well ventilated and have no contaminants such as lead, radon, pesticide residues they support good health.  Mold, dampness, cockroaches, mouse feces, and allergens play roles in the development of respiratory conditions, including asthma.  40% (8 million) asthma cases are believed to be attributable to housing conditions Structural features such as broken railings, lack of window guards and smoke detectors,  and CO-producing heating systems led to 17.1 million housing related injuries or poisonings requiring medical care in 2007. Lead poisoning affects brain and nervous system development,  resulting in low IQs and learning disabilities

Who is most at risk? Children, pregnant women and the fetus, those who are disabled or elderly, newly arrived immigrants, the poor living in substandard housing.

Why is this a public problem? There are compelling economic incentives for looking at housing as a public health concern. Nation-wide in 2004 preventable asthma hospitalizations cost $1.4 billion.  (Source link here) And, injuries at home resulted in 4 million emergency room visits and 70,000 hospital admissions. In Guilford County in 2007 there were………Beyond the costs of medical treatment are school and work absences(often leading to job loss). Irreversible lead related learning and behavior problems mean poor school performance and an increased likelihood of children becoming unemployable adults.

The good news Along with RWJF, the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released a joint report, “The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Promote Healthy Homes” which urges public and private agencies to conduct healthy homes research,  and ensure safe, affordable and accessible homes. GHC has been active in promoting healthy housing in Greensboro since 2004. We have 3 certified Healthy Homes Specialists on staff. Working in a diverse collaboration of health care workers, housing agencies, inspectors, and private and non-profit contractors we have developed protocols for identifying and fixing unhealthy housing conditions.

How You Can Help Greensboro is set to receive $2.5 million in energy-related stimulus money. The Community Sustainability Council, was appointed by City Council in January 2008 as an advisory group to Council members. The group’s task is to present proposals both to City Council and City staff members for ways the City as a government and as a community can better protect our environment. Part of their task will be proposing uses of the Stimulus funds to reduce energy use and increase energy efficiency. The Sustainability Council is currently seeking public input. Contact the Community Sustainability Council at www.greensboro-nc.gov/sustainability and let them know that expenditures for upgrading substandard housing will not only improve the health of the tenants and owners, but will have a ripple effect of reducing the use of emergency room services as well as tax-based social and health care services.

2009 Healthy Housing Bus Tour (Part 1)

(posted 09-22-2009)

About 100 participants braved rainy skies and boarded buses for GHC’s 6^th Annual Healthy Homes Bus Tour to see examples of how housing and health go hand in hand. Mayor Yvonne Johnson sent us off with words of praise for GHC’s role in improving housing in the city and a strong statement of her commitment to fair, safe, affordable housing.

Speakers, Andrea Dalporto (GHC Healthy Homes Specialist) and Dr. Ken Gruber (Research and Statistical Services Coordinator at UNCG) shared information on the way. Dr. Gruber highlighted the importance of the broad collaboration of partners in the Greensboro Healthy Homes Initiative and the essential role of home visitors (social workers, health professionals, educators) in identifying health hazards in client homes, and referring them to GHC for assistance.  Ms. Dalporto outlined the 7 principles of a healthy home: keep it dry, clean, pest free, contaminant free, ventilated, safe, and maintained. The tour focused on 4 sites illustrating the importance of pest free, dry, safe, and contaminant free. This post will cover the first two stops. Next week we’ll cover three and four.

Keep it pest free: The first stop was an apartment building on Water Street to see an example of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Controlling pests can be a challenge for multi-unit buildings where an infestation in one unit can quickly spread to others. Unfortunately cockroaches can trigger asthma attacks and cause other respiratory illnesses. Frequent spraying with pesticides is both ineffective and unhealthy for residents. Willena Cannon, summed it up, “Spraying runs the people away, runs the roaches away—and then they all come back! IPM gets rid of the problem.” IPM is a team effort by property owners, tenants, and pest control professionals to close up cracks, keep food, clothes, and papers stored properly, and use targeted pesticides to eliminate pests. Wrenn-Zealy property management personnel, tenants, and professionals have done a great job of creating pest free apartments on Water Street.  GHC is conducting a 3-year HUD funded study of IPM in privately owned multi-unit apartments.  GHC will offer tenant education, support to landlords and pest control professionals to implement IPM in three hundred apartments in XXX buildings. We’ll conduct pre- and post- tests to collect data on cockroach infestations, tenant’s housekeeping habits, landlord repairs, types and frequency of pesticides used, and health of tenants. We expect to see dramatic reductions in cockroach populations, reductions in episodes of asthma and respiratory problems. In addition we expect utility bills to decrease and comfort to increase due to repairs made (holes and cracks in walls, floors, and roofs and water leaks sealed). See http://www.healthyhomestraining.org/ipm/HUD_Guidance.htm for HUD’s guidelines for a successful IPM program.

Keep it dry: Damp areas are breeding grounds for molds, dust mites, and bacteria. Controlling moisture is essential for a healthy indoor environment. At 1708 Alexsandria Street a mold thrived in moist environment from a dripping air conditioner unit in a living room window and led to serious health problems and major healthcare expenses for the family that rented the house. GHC found safe housing for them, but they had to leave almost all of their contaminated furniture and personal possessions behind. Now that the family is in a clean, dry home most health problems have subsided, but some of them linger, and still require treatment.

While mold is found everywhere, about 25% of the US population experiences respiratory illness as a result of exposure. Once a sensitive person has had a reaction, they often remain vulnerable to sickness when exposed to even normal concentrations of the mold. The World Health Organization, in a metastudy published in July, recognized that children under 6 years old are especially vulnerable to mold toxins. http://www.euro.who.int/Housing/support/20080403_1

While most people are fine once the mold exposure is over, some molds contain toxins that may be mutagenic and a possible cause of cancer.  Fortunately preventing an overgrowth of mold is fairly straight forward. Seal all water leaks, maintain good ventilation, and control humidity with dehumidifiers and/or air conditioners. For more information about mold and indoor air quality see http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldresources.html.

Healthy Homes Bus Tour Part 2

This is the second of a two-part post about the GHC’s 6^th Annual Healthy Homes Bus Tour. The final stops show the importance of keeping homes safe, in this case through structural changes and improved accessibility and keeping them contaminant free by using proper lead removal techniques.

Keep it safe–accessibility and fair housing: Accessibility is actually a Fair Housing issue. Fair Housing laws prohibit discrimination due to race, disabilities, family status (the number of children living in the home), religion, sex, or national origin (including those without legal documentation). Fair housing requirements mean all people have access to safe, affordable housing that is healthy for occupants.

The bus tour stopped at 2904 Phillips Avenue to see how improved accessibility makes a world of difference for Nora White and her adult daughter, Patricia, who is confined to a wheelchair. The house is also special because it was the 100^th repair made by Housing Greensboro, a non-profit organization created by GHC and Habitat for Humanity. With funds from the NC Housing Finance Agency and the Community Foundation of Greensboro, and a crew of volunteers Housing Greensboro retrofitted the bathroom and kitchen for wheelchair accessibility and repaired rotting floor joists and several leaks. Ms. White and her daughter said they were delighted with the changes and that Patricia was able to be more independent because of them.

Keep it contaminant free: Contaminants in homes include volatile gasses from paint, furniture and carpets; carbon monoxide (CO) from heating units; and lead among others. The bus tour ended at 1927 Taylor Street to look at a house being prepared for repairs using Lead Safe Work Practices. The lot surrounding the one-story home is cordoned off with red warning tape and no tools or equipment used in remediation can leave the property without being decontaminated. No one can occupy the building during the work.             Lead is most hazardous to children. Small bodies that are still developing are especially vulnerable to lead poisoning, which can cause irreversible learning and behavioral disorders and organ damage. Lead is often found in the paint of homes built before 1978. Any time a painted surface is disturbed (windows opened and closed, sanding before painting) lead dust becomes airborne where is can be inhaled or ingested when contaminated toys go into mouths. The EPA’s Renovation Repair and Painting Rule requires that any work that creates lead dust be done by trained personnel using strict protocols. The city of Greensboro’s Lead Safe Housing program provides grants for lead remediation for low-income residents in affordable housing. For more information contact Willena Cannon at GHC (336-691-9521) or go to the City of Greensboro website http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/hcd/housing/lead/ .

The connection between our health and our homes is becoming clearer as studies show relationships between cockroaches and asthma, the impact of lead contamination, and the relationship of molds and respiratory problems among other concerns. GHC’s annual bus tour provides a unique opportunity for people to see first hand both problems and solutions in Greensboro. Thank you to all who joined us for the tour and to the speakers who shared insights and information. We’ll continue to cover healthy homes, the Healthy Homes Greensboro Initiative, and the work being done by GHC and other groups to improve our health by improving our housing.