Our Impact

Housing is widely acknowledged as a “social determinant of health,” yet few communities have mustered broad strategies to identify and correct health hazards in housing or to reinforce enlightened maintenance practices to prevent these hazards from developing. Science makes clear that a wide range of health and safety hazards in our homes cause illness, injury, disease and death, which add billions of dollars to health care costs. These hazards include: asthma and allergies; fires and falls; moisture and mold; pests and pesticide exposures; and toxins, such as carbon monoxide.

Nationwide, more than 30 million US homes pose at least one health or safety hazard. Older homes occupied by low-income households typically pose far greater risks due to deferred maintenance. For example, plumbing leaks and poorly maintained gutters cause moisture problems, which are the root cause of many hazards: mold and mildew, dust mites, cockroaches, rodents, structural damage, and failure of paint, which may contain lead. The good news is that many interventions have been proven effective in reducing and preventing these risks. In many cases, the repairs are low-cost and require relatively low skills. This 8-minute video of repairs to a Rebuilding Together home highlights the health and safety benefits of ten low-cost repairs:

The good news is that many interventions have been proven effective in reducing and preventing these risks. In many cases, the repairs are low-cost and require relatively low skills. This 8-minute video of repairs to a Rebuilding Together home highlights the health and safety benefits of ten low-cost repairs:

Delivering needed repairs and modifications to those in the greatest need is a daunting challenge. Low-income homeowners typically lack discretionary resources to make needed repairs because other basic needs such as food, utilities and medical care take precedence. Persons with disabilities and low-income families with children face special challenges and risks related to health and safety hazards in their homes. And older Americans are discovering that homes that met their needs well for decades can pose significant barriers in later years’ dues to diminishing physical abilities. Rebuilding Together is here to help and we have a proven model for providing these repairs with the help of skilled and unskilled volunteer teams but we cannot do it alone. Sign up to volunteer or sponsor a project today!