The Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Health in Wisconsin has been announced as the recipient of the 2023 Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Healthy Homes. This award, bestowed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), acknowledges projects or programs that have innovatively employed best practices, policies, research, and community engagement to significantly reduce exposure to health risks, environmental hazards, and substandard housing, particularly in resource-limited communities.
Marcia L. Fudge, Secretary at U.S. Housing and Urban Development lauded the project saying, "Wisconsin’s Healthy Homes Initiatives Portfolio (WHHIP) improved the lives of children with asthma & those threatened by lead exposure in WI. Through collaboration, evidence-based policy, & strong commitment to sustainability, this project stood out in a group of worthy nominations."
According to a HUD news release, dynamic communities are created through healthy housing initiatives which make a substantial impact on their residents. The award aims to spotlight programs that foster such healthy home communities. WHHIP introduced measures to mitigate residential lead paint toxins for at-risk populations and implemented in-home asthma education and low-cost home alterations in Wisconsin children’s houses.
Fudge further commented on WHHIP's achievement stating that it "improved the lives of children with asthma and those threatened by lead exposure in Wisconsin," She added that "Through collaboration, evidence-based policy, and strong commitment to sustainability, this project stood out in a large group of worthy nominations."
In an unprecedented move since its inception in 2015, HUD decided to present the Secretary’s Award to a single organization this year. According to a news release from HUD, this award underscores projects or programs that have made considerable contributions to their community through innovative solutions yielding measurable social, economic and health outcomes.
Details about the 2024 competition will be unveiled at the Building Performance Association’s National Home Performance Conference and Trade Show as per the news release. The event is scheduled to take place from April 8 to 11, 2024, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
