| Healthcare Anchor Network (HAN) members are investing in and supporting affordable housing. One example is Boston Medical Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital providing $3 million over three years for housing stability in Boston through the Innovative Stable Housing Initiative (ISHI). In addition to funding and investing support, HAN members are also working to address upstream determinants of health through policy. HAN’s 3rd annual Housing for Health Policy Day will be held on May 12th. This year we are excited to be expecting the largest turn out yet for Policy Day and we’ll be joined by U.S. Sen. Todd Young, Rep. Jim McGovern, and Rep. Dwight Evans. The event focuses on support for federal affordable housing programs including the housing tax credit, HOME program, and housing vouchers. HAN members such as Denver Health are creating affordable housing with local partners with the help of these federal programs. We are also excited that HAN member systems have signed onto the HAN Healthy and Affordable Housing Principles! In addition, HAN is a Partner for the Housing Solution Summit and will be presenting on HAN’s federal housing policy advocacy efforts. From the Shelterforce article:Even outside of a pandemic, housing policy is often a matter of life and death. The homeless and unstably housed have higher rates of overall mortality, and increased rates of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide. Any policy that expands affordable housing and prevents homelessness and evictions may avert dire health consequences down the line. . . . “A lot of our families who still need to come here for care have actually been displaced and are now outside of the city. They’re having difficulty with their continuity of care because they’re so much farther away,” says [Boston Children’s Hospital’s Dr. Shari] Nethersole. “So as you think about … the things that help stabilize children and families in particular, [funding housing policy work] makes sense.” |
| See also: HAN member Bon Secours Mercy Health’s “Housing for Health” affordable housing program leads to a positive Social-Return-On-Investment (SROI)! The health system’s affordable housing program targeting SDOH in Baltimore is having a positive social impact on the community. An analysis found that the housing program generated between $1.30 and $1.92 of social return (broader social, environmental and economic benefits in the community) for every dollar in yearly operating costs. |
| See also: The Anchor Institutions Task Force (AITF) released “Pursuing Just and Equitable Communities in Light of COVID-19: An Action Agenda for Creating a New Normal,” which puts forward policy recommendations to help anchor institutions continue to play a vital role in their local communities and economies. |