Create designated tax districts that generate revenue to invest in affordable housing initiatives, blight remediation, and economic development efforts
Policies & Programs
Policies and programs that can improve health
filtered by "Government " and "Housing and Transit"
33 results
Affordable housing tax increment financing (TIF)
Evidence Rating:
Expert Opinion
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit
Automated speed enforcement cameras
Use devices such as speed cameras, laser devices, radar, etc. to enforce speed limits; devices can be permanent fixtures or be used manually by law enforcement officers
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit, Community Safety
Bike & pedestrian master plans
Establish a framework to increase walking and biking trails and improve connectivity of non-auto paths and trails in a particular area
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit, Diet and Exercise
Carpool & rideshare programs
Help commuters share transportation through informal arrangements between individuals, formally arranged dynamic ridesharing programs, or other ride-matching services
Evidence Rating:
Expert Opinion
Health Factor(s):
Air and Water Quality, Housing and Transit
Community Development Block Grants (CDBGs)
Provide funding for local community development activities such as affordable housing, anti-poverty programs, and infrastructure development
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit
Complete Streets & streetscape design initiatives
Enhance streetscapes with greater sidewalk coverage and walkway connectivity, street crossing safety features, traffic calming measures, and other design elements
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit, Diet and Exercise
Debt advice for tenants with unpaid rent
Offer debt advice from trained providers to tenants with unpaid, overdue rent to help repay debt and increase financial literacy
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence
Health Factor(s):
Income, Housing and Transit
Healthy home environment assessments
Train volunteers, professionals, or paraprofessionals to help residents assess and remediate environmental home health risks and recommend low cost changes (e.g., improved ventilation, integrated pest management, etc.)
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit
HOME Investment Partnership Program
Provide grants to states and localities to fund activities that build, buy, or rehabilitate affordable housing for rent or homeownership or provide direct rental assistance to low income households
Evidence Rating:
Expert Opinion
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit
Household lead control education interventions
Inform parents about lead exposure pathways and cleaning and hygiene techniques and undertake minor repairs or specialized cleaning
Evidence Rating:
Evidence of Ineffectiveness
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit
Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8)
Provide eligible low and very low income families with vouchers to help cover the costs of rental housing; also called Section 8
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit
Housing First
Provide rapid access to permanent housing and support (e.g., crisis intervention, needs assessment, case management), usually for chronically homeless individuals with persistent mental illness or substance abuse issues
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit
Housing rehabilitation loan & grant programs
Provide funding, primarily to low or median income families, to repair, improve, or modernize dwellings and remove health or safety hazards
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit
Housing trust funds
Support funds that help create or maintain low income housing, subsidize rental housing, and assist low income homebuyers and non-profit housing developers
Evidence Rating:
Expert Opinion
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit
Inclusionary zoning & housing policies
Require developers to reserve a proportion of housing units for low income residents via mandatory requirements or incentives such as density bonuses
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit
Integrated pest management for indoor use
Support a four-tiered approach to indoor pest control that minimizes potential hazards to people, property, and the environment
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit
Land banking
Acquire, hold, manage, and develop properties such as vacant lots, abandoned buildings, or foreclosures, and transition them to productive uses, often affordable housing developments.
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit, Diet and Exercise
Lead paint abatement programs
Eliminate lead-based paint and contaminated dust by removing or encapsulating lead paint, or removing lead painted fixtures and surfaces
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit
Legal support for tenants in eviction proceedings
Provide legal representation for tenants with low incomes in eviction proceedings or offer limited legal assistance to prepare tenants to represent themselves in court
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
Provide funds to help low income households meet home energy needs, especially households with members who are young or elderly, or have disabilities
Evidence Rating:
Expert Opinion
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit
Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs)
Provide funding via tax credits at the state and local level to support development and rehabilitation costs of low income rental housing
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit
Mixed-use development
Support a combination of land uses (e.g., residential, commercial, recreational) in development initiatives, often through zoning regulations or Smart Growth initiatives
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit, Diet and Exercise
Out of town bypasses
Establish roads that avoid built-up areas such as towns, cities, or commercial/business districts
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit, Community Safety
Public transportation systems
Introduce or expand transportation options that are available to the public and run on a scheduled timetable (e.g., buses, trains, ferries, rapid transit, etc.)
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit
Radon mitigation programs
Prevent radon from entering occupied buildings and reduce existing indoor air radon levels via soil depressurization, home or room pressurization, heat recovery ventilation, etc.
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit
Rapid re-housing programs
Transition families and individuals experiencing homelessness into permanent housing quickly, often with supports such as short-term financial assistance, case management, landlord negotiations, etc.
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit
Rent regulation policies
Establish tenant protections via regulations to the housing rental market such as limits on rent increases and eviction protections for tenants with low incomes; typically via rent stabilization
Evidence Rating:
Expert Opinion
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit
Rural transportation services
Establish transportation services for areas with low population densities using publicly funded buses and vans on a set schedule, dial-a-ride transit, volunteer ridesharing, etc.
Evidence Rating:
Expert Opinion
Health Factor(s):
Access to Care, Housing and Transit
Safe Routes to Schools
Promote walking and biking to school through education, incentives, and environmental changes; often called SRTS
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit, Diet and Exercise
Service-enriched housing
Provide permanent, basic rental housing with social services available onsite or by referral, usually for low income families, seniors, veterans, or people with disabilities
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit
Traffic calming
Modify the built environment to affect traffic speed and patterns via speed humps, pedestrian center crossing islands, roundabouts, etc.
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit, Community Safety
Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP)
Provide assistance to low income families to make their homes more energy efficient and to permanently reduce their energy bills
Evidence Rating:
Some Evidence
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit
Zoning regulations for land use policy
Use zoning regulations to address aesthetics and safety of the physical environment, street continuity and connectivity, residential density and proximity to businesses, schools, and recreation, etc.
Evidence Rating:
Scientifically Supported
Health Factor(s):
Housing and Transit, Diet and Exercise