Monday, Feb 4 2013 4:02PM
Collaboration among federal agencies may reduce housing risks and safety hazards for homeowners.
Representatives from the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Surgeon General and Deputy Secretary of Energy announced a new initiative to improve housing quality in the United States, according to the HUD.
The "Advancing Healthy Housing - A Strategy for Action" program promotes and encourages federal agencies to collaborate on mitigating home safety hazards that could result in health problems and high costs for homeowners. This team-oriented program is designed to help reduce and improve common housing ailments that affect millions of properties, including dilapidated structure; roofing problems; heating, plumbing, and electrical deficiencies; water leaks and intrusion; pests; damaged paint; and high radon gas levels.
"Healthy homes and communities are essential to our quality of life, our productivity, and our economic vitality," said CEQ chair Nancy Sutley. "Through this plan, federal agencies have committed to working together to make sure all Americans can count on safe, healthy places to live, grow, and thrive."
Typically, the cost of repairing a home with significant structural or electrical damage can be steep, and access to affordable housing assistance to fix these problems is limited. As a result, some homeowners may find themselves financially strained after fixing a dangerous issue, or unable to repair the property at all.
For more information, check out this resource: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development