Ohio Healthy Homes News            December 2016
Upcoming Events
 
Advocacy and Policy Webinar: Future of Healthcare Access in Ohio, January 12, 3 - 4 pm, sponsored by Advocates for Ohio's Future. No registration fee. The webinar will cover: overview of Ohio's Medicaid program, update on enrollment and health care access, what's next for the ACA and Medicaid, impact changes will have on coverage for kids, implications for the upcoming state budget, opportunities for advocacy. 
implications for the upcoming state budget

Ohio Conference of Community Development (OCCD), Winter Quarterly Meeting, January 25-26, Crowne Plaza Columbus North. Topics include affordable housing and community economic development in the new federal administration. Registration fee: $95.  

The State of Ohio's Health: 2017 Health Value Dashboard Release, March 1, OCLC Conference Center, Dublin, 9:30 am - 2:30 pm. Registration fee: $65 per person. 

2017 National Lead and Healthy Housing Conference, March 28-39, the Hyatt Regency in Indianapolis, IN. Registration fee for one person by January 15 is $250. Discounts available for multiple registrations. Partial scholarships are available.

Housing Ohio 2017, Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO), April 10-12, 2017.
State News

Affordable Housing
 
 
 
Energy
 
 
 
 
 
Health Departments
 
 
News analysis: Is there time to save health district?
 
Manufactured Home Parks

The Director of Health proposes to rescind all rules in O.A.C. Chapter 3701-27, because House Bill 487 transferred oversight of Manufactured Home Parks to the Ohio Manufactured Homes Commission. Chapter 3701-27 rules have been replaced by O.A.C. Chapter 4781. The comment period ended 12/23/2016.

State Agencies
 
 
Tobacco
 
 
 

OHHN Just Signed-On to "Home Matters to Ohio"

Please add your organization to the list!

Home Matters to Ohio is a broad-based campaign to build awareness about the importance of affordable housing and to expand the Ohio Housing Trust Fund.

The Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO) is asking its partners in the housing industry to endorse its proposal to significantly increase the Trust Fund in next year's budget.

Background

The Great Recession took a toll on the Ohio Housing Trust Fund and it has not yet recovered. So state funding for homeless services, home repair and affordable housing is lagging while the need has only increased. 

This online brochure has more information about the Ohio Housing Trust Fund and why it needs to be expanded.

Take Action

If you're authorized to sign on behalf of your organization, please sign this online statement of support that will show state leaders that there is a broad base of support for expanding the Ohio Housing Trust Fund.

See who just signed up at HomeMatterstoOhio.  
"After Forum" informal discussion on lead poisoning, Nov. 30 at ODOT  (photo by Will Brenner)

2016 OHHN Fall Forum

Our thanks to Fall Forum participants, speakers, sponsors, volunteers and staff for making the Fall Forum a success. The Forum was attended by 50 participants. Forum presentations are posted to the OHHN website. If you haven't had a chance to complete a brief survey on the Fall Forum, please click  HERE. OHHN welcomes your
ideas for 2017 Spring and Fall Forums. Send your ideas for topics, speakers and locations to OHHN. The "Healthy Homes Essentials for Environmental Professionals Training", held on Nov. 29 attracted 22 participants. OHHN, the Ohio Department of Health and Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, sponsored the training. Kevin Kennedy was the trainer.                   
Funding Opportunities

US EPA National Indoor Environments Program

Request for Applications (RFA): "National Indoor Environments Program: Reducing Public Exposure to Indoor Pollutants". Closing Date: February 17, 2017. EPA expects to make between 10 and 20 awards. The selected indoor environments projects will be funded in the amount of $2-4 million annually, for up to 3 years (2018-2020).

Currently, the Indoor Environments Program focuses on critical aspects of indoor air quality that pose significant risks to public health, particularly to children and other disproportionately affected segments of society. The Program's priorities include, yet are not limited to (1) radon, (2) indoor environmental asthma triggers, and (3) multiple indoor air contaminants.

Examples of projects eligible for funding include those that result in (1) an increase in the number of homes and schools built with radon-reducing features, (2) an increase in the number of home visiting programs providing in-home asthma interventions by licensed providers in disproportionately affected communities, and (3) an increase in the number of homes, schools and office buildings with interventions that reduce exposure to multiple indoor air contaminants.

CHEJ Environmental Health and Justice Small Grants Program


Grassroots communities of color, low wealth, rural and urban groups are encouraged to apply.  This grant program will support projects that help groups move toward their goals by building leadership, increasing capacity and/or providing training and education.  A priority of CHEJ's Small Grants Program is to help grassroots community groups to build their capacity.  The program is designed to especially reach people from low wealth communities and communities of color who are impacted by environmental harms.
 
Grant activities can include board development, membership outreach, and fundraising efforts. Project activities could also include meetings to develop an organizing/strategic plan, training leaders to go door-to-door, events, educational activities which are directly connected to your strategic plan, etc.  The grant application is different for different sized organizations.
 
The deadline for submitting your application is February 1, 2017. Applications should be submitted to CHEJ at info@chej.org or you can send it by mail to CHEJ, P.O. Box 6806, Falls Church, VA 22046 (must be postmarked no later than February 1, 2017). Please check our application form carefully for more specifics on our guidelines.

Ohio Environmental Education Fund (Ohio EPA)

Ohio Environmental Education Fund (OEEF) grant application Guidelines for 2017 are posted and electronic letters of intent are currently being accepted through the Ohio EPA eBusiness Center.  Electronic letters of intent for the January 2017 cycle must be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday January 9, 2016. Completed applications must be submitted online by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday January 17, 2017.

Two OEEF program goals may be of interest to those in the public health or affordable housing branches of healthy housing:

For those in Public Health

Goal: Improving air quality and efforts to reduce emissions
 
Fundable projects might include public awareness campaigns about local air quality concerns and ways to protect public health; efforts to encourage citizens and businesses to reduce engine idling, conserve energy or consider alternative forms of transportation and alternative fuels to lower air emissions.
 
For those in Affordable Housing

Goal: Using innovative practices to limit the volume and pollution of storm water runoff in order to improve water quality in receiving streams and rivers
 
Fundable projects might include efforts to persuade developers, site designers, local officials, businesses and residents to use options such as permeable pavement, vegetated roofs and swales, rain gardens, passive treatment trains, storm water treatment wetlands, low-impact development techniques, sediment and erosion controls, and naturally functioning storm water infrastructure.
2016 Healthy Homes Essentials for Environmental Professionals class(photo by Will Brenner) 
Healthy Homes Essentials

The "Healthy Homes Essentials for Environmental Professionals Training", held on Nov. 29 at ODOT in Columbus attracted 22 participants. The Ohio Healthy Homes Network, Ohio Department of Health and Mercy Hospitals and Clinics in Kansas City, Missouri, sponsored the training. Kevin Kennedy of Mercy Hospitals and Clinics was the trainer.        
Lead in National and International News

Armories

Consumer Products

States and Cities

The 'next Flint' could already be happening for 4 million Americans

Michigan receives CMS approval for $28 million program to expand lead abatement

Inside Michigan's push to eliminate child lead poisoning

Board: Test all Michigan kids for lead poisoning

Lead poisoning is statewide, help is not

2 former Flint emergency managers, 2 others face felony charges over water crisis

A year later, unfiltered tap water is still unsafe to drink

New grant to help New Hampshire Legal Assistance in fight against lead poisoning

Knowledge, cash critical in fight against lead poisoning in NJ's kids

Council committee to consider bills to combat lead poisoning

City's landmark law marks 10 years

National and International News

Community Development

 
Redlining map project provides new way for researchers to rethink struggling urban areas
 
Energy
 
Occupant Health Benefits of Residential Energy Efficiency
 
 
High Utility Bills Trigger Anxiety and Depression in Low-Income Households

Healthy Home Services

Post-Election Analysis: Healthcare Financing for Healthy Homes Services Still Hard, Still Possible, Still Important
 
Indoor Air Quality
 
 
Pediatrics
 
 
Tobacco
 
HUD Secretary Castro announces public housing to be smoke-free
 
 
 
Toxics
 
EPA Names First Chemicals for Review Under New TSCA Legislation

Does Glyphosate Cause Cancer? EPA Panel Meets to Find Out
 
Perfluorinated Compounds (PFCs) - The New Lead  
 
Training
 
Healthy Housing Solutions offers the Basic Principles of Healthy Homes Online Course

About Us

The mission of the Ohio Healthy Homes Network (OHHN) is to promote healthy, safe and affordable housing for people of all ages.  More information is available about OHHN at www.OHHN.org  
 
Disclaimer: The e-newsletter and web site of the Ohio Healthy Homes Network (OHHN) are published by Ohio Healthy Homes Network. OHHN strives to maintain the currency and accuracy of this e-newsletter but makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness of any information contained in this newsletter or linked to by this newsletter. This newsletter is for informational purposes only and OHHN will not accept liability for any damage or injury caused by its use. OHHN does not endorse or guarantee any goods or services mentioned herein and cannot be held liable for the content of any advertisement or performance of any OHHN member.

STAY CONNECTED: