Healthy Homes Rating System Study with Wayne State University

Healthy Homes Rating System Study Photos

Alameda County Healthy Homes Department is pleased to announce a research partnership with the Wayne State University Center for Urban Studies to conduct housing assessments in Alameda County using the Healthy Homes Rating System. The study identifies health and safety risks in randomly-selected homes. This is part of a research project with Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.

Wayne State University Center for Urban Studies is researching the Healthy Homes Rating System as part of a grant funded by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This project aims to answer research questions that will provide HUD with a far more precise understanding of the link between housing and health in order to develop cost effective methods for identifying and mitigating residential health hazards.

You can find more information on the HUD Healthy Homes Rating System website.

The Center for Urban Studies at Wayne State University is a hub for cutting-edge social science research and service that works closely with community organizations and local governments to answer key questions about the urban area and about policy or organizational issues.

Wayne State University has subcontracted with local community organizations in Detroit, MI, Oakland, CA, and Greensboro, NC to gain a well-rounded perspective of the housing stock across the United States. Wayne State University has a subcontract with the Alameda County Healthy Homes Department to conduct assessments using the Healthy Homes Rating Tool in approximately 500 housing units. Part of the recruitment process for our study is to use the Center for Urban Studies Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI) system to conduct telephone interviews with residents to gain their participation in our study. Residents in the random sample will receive a phone call/post card for recruitment.

Participation in the study is voluntary and confidential, and provides the benefit of a report of the hazard risk findings, as well as contact information for local agencies and non-profits that offer home repair services. In addition, participants receive a gift card in appreciation for their contribution.

Please call the Alameda County Healthy Homes Department at 510-567-8280 to learn more about this study in our community.