HEALTH AND WELFARE
Health and Welfare: Safe and Affordable Housing
Background Information
Who: Persons living in crowded apartments
What: Poor housing with specific focus on residential crowding.
When: Year 2022 Year 2037
Where: New York City
Why: Poor housing (specifically residential crowding) has been associated with negative health outcomes
Problem
It would be prudent to note that various studies conducted in the past indicate that poor housing conditions are linked to negative health outcomes. In a study seeking to assess the nature of the relationship between health and housing, Ige, Pilkington, Orme, Williams, Prestwood, Black, Carmichael, and Scally (2019) point out that wellbeing (both mental and physical) of persons and indoor environment are closely related. This is an assertion further advanced by the World Health Organization (2020) which indicates that there is a direct association between crowding and adverse health outcomes, such as infectious disease and mental health problems. As Braveman, Dekker, Eger, Sadegh-Nobari, and Pollack (2011) indicate, some of the illnesses that have been linked to overcrowding in residential houses are inclusive of respiratory infections and tuberculosis. The authors also indicate that the said crowding triggers psychological distress among those who dwell in such overcrowded spaces.
Semple (2016) observes that the housing situation for some residents of New York could be described as dire. This is more so the case when it comes to overcrowding. According to the author, available data indicates that about 9 percent of all households or nearly 280,000 units in New York City have more than one person per room. Indeed, as the author further indicates, in some instances, the situation gets so bad to the extent that some units have people sleeping in the kitchen. If nothing is done to address this particular problem, it will likely get worse.
Role of the Levels of Government and Current Funding
From the onset, it would be prudent to note that as Thomson, Thomas, Sellstrom, and Petticrew (2009)...
…affordable housing for residents of New York, I would propose a raft of other measures that could be embraced at the state and local government levels.
1. State and local governments could require that new developments incorporate a certain proportion of modest homes. Alternatively, instead of an express requirement, the state and local governments could instead deploy the relevant incentives towards a similar end.
2. Another solution is the provision of financial education with the said education zeroing in on money management tips, credit management approaches, mortgage market tips, etc. State and local governments could in this case partner with education institutions and various organizations to provide the said education at the school and workplace levels so as to ensure that individuals are better able to plan and manage their finances, and thus avoid decisions that could make it difficult for them to afford decent housing.
3. Waiving of various charges to help bring down rent rates. Waived charges could…
