Goals

To truly improve housing environments in Massachusetts for people with asthma, many state agencies and community groups will need to work together. This objective requires a coordinated effort between public health, housing, energy efficiency, and development representatives to succeed.

These are the MAAP Healthy Housing subcommittee’s goals, as outlined in the Strategic Plan for Asthma in Massachusetts:

• Reduce exposures to environmental factors in the home that exacerbate asthma by 30%. Every effort will be made to exceed these targets. They do not reflect an acceptable level of exposure but an estimate of the realistic impact of the activities under this objective.
• Increase the number of smoke-free multi-unit and section 8 properties in target neighborhoods.
• Train local boards of health on healthy homes and how to address the environmental factors that influence asthma in their communities.
• Improve state regulations, including the State Sanitary Code and the Children and Families Protection Act.
• Develop guidance documents for home owners on how to reduce exposure to asthma triggers and irritants in the home.
• Increase the use of integrated pest management (IPM) in homes.