U.S. Department of Housing Recognizes Healthy Homes Program for Innovation

The U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development today announced that

Selina Lujan, Senior Environmental Services Specialist, accepted the award for Policy and Education Innovation on behalf of the City at the annual HUD conference in Anaheim, Calif., on June 27. Each year, HUD recognizes excellence in making indoor environments healthier through healthy homes research, education, and program delivery, especially in low-to-moderate income communities. For more information about the program, go to https://www.neha.org/about-neha/awards/hud-award-healthy-homes.

            The volunteer-driven Fort Collins program offers free indoor air quality assessments to residents that include a carbon monoxide detector, radon test kit and a non-toxic cleaner. Volunteers receive 20 hours of training to become Master Home Educators who conduct the 1-1.5-hour assessments.

“The City is pleased and humbled by this award,” said City Manager Darin Atteberry. “The success and popularity of the Healthy Homes program illustrates the City’s overall commitment to the community’s health and wellbeing. With the help of some very dedicated volunteers, we are proud to provide this service to our residents.”

The City of Fort Collins’ Healthy Homes program was developed in 2011 as an innovative new solution to address residential indoor air quality, which the EPA has identified as one of the top five environmental health risks.

Facts about the City’s Healthy Homes program:

• 800 assessments conducted since the program began in 2011
• 20 percent of homes assessed had occupants with asthma or a respiratory problem
• 170 Master Home Educators trained
• 8,167 volunteer hours contributed to the program

This year, the program was expanded to include an online Do-It-Yourself assessment tool to expand the reach of the Healthy Homes program by making information regarding indoor air quality of homes more accessible. The interactive, customizable tool walks people through each area of their home asking specific questions related to indoor air quality concerns including:

• Ventilation
• Mold
• Chemical contaminants
• Cleanliness
• Pests
• Home maintenance
• Safety

Learn more about the DIY program and an in-home assessment at www.fcgov.com/healthyhomes. The HUD award is the second major award for the Fort Collins Healthy Homes program, which was honored by Larimer County in 2015 with the Joseph Jabaily Public Health Heroes award.