A study performed by the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute determined the least healthy counties in Texas. The study took into account numerous data sources regarding the health factors of populations, the ratio of dental and mental health care providers to people in the counties, socio-economic data, and unemployment data. Also taken into consideration were the typical length of life and quality of life. Based on the information, Brooks County (91% Latino population), located in the Rio Grande Valley, was deemed the least healthy county in the state. The report determined that 40% of all adults in Brooks County were of “poor health” and the obesity rate among adults was nearly 30%. The county also has an uninsured rate of 25% and 46% of the children in the ...
What happens when people get "priced out" of the homes they've lived in for decades? People like Luis Granados step up. Granados, Christopher Gil, and other leaders of the nonprofit Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) didn't stand by when a tech boom in San Francisco’s Mission District brought in higher-priced homes and threatened to push out lower-income families. They embarked on a mission to create 100% affordable housing in the area.
The rising housing costs in San Francisco
Since 1973, the Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) offers free financial services to lower-income families in San Francisco’s Mission District, a 30% Latino neighborhood where most rent their homes, said Christopher Gil, the group’s senior content marketing manager. The ...
A new guide by ChangeLab Solutions can help local jurisdictions design a code enforcement program to help create and maintain health housing. Good quality housing is central to the health of individuals, families, and communities. When housing falls into poor conditions or disrepair due to pest infestation, moisture damage, hazardous chemicals, or inadequate ventilation, its residents tend to have poor health. Unhealthy homes have been linked to 20-30% of all asthma cases, over 20,000 lung cancer deaths, and a host of preventable fatal and nonfatal home injuries. Without proper maintenance, homes can become unhealthy and dangerous. Strong housing codes, well-trained enforcement officers, and municipal cooperation are necessary to protect residents. Property owners and ...
En los próximos cinco años, el 40 por ciento de nuevos hogares será formado por latinos. De acuerdo a Hispanics & Home Ownership: Closing the Gap, un nuevo reporte por el Demand Institute, más de cuatro millones de latinos en Estados Unidos, tiene el sueño de ser propietario de su propio hogar, pero solo 1.5 millones de Hispanos estarán financieramente preparados para tomar ese paso, dejando a 2.5 millones de Hispanos sin perspectivas de poder comprar una casa. Ingresos suficientes al igual, un buen nivel de crédito y buen enganche son varios de los obstáculos que los latinos enfrentan a la hora de comprar una casa. “Los hispanos fueron golpeados muy duro por la crisis financiera y la burbuja inmobiliaria, haciendo que el panorama para muchos de hispanos ...
Not everyone has access to places to play or be physically active. That is why a housing agency, fueled by local research and focus groups of homeowners, created policy to include sidewalks, hike/bike trails, and a playground to plans for an affordable housing neighborhood in a colonia, an impoverished region of South Texas.
Why Is Obesity an Issue in Colonias?
Research indicates an obesity rate of 18.1% among Mexican-American preschool -aged children living in colonias—small, impoverished settlements that often lack proper infrastructure along the Texas-Mexico border. Colonias tend to lack sidewalks, street lights, places for recreation, and running water. Ann Cass, director of Proyecto Azteca—a non-profit organization that works to build homes for residents in the ...
