There is a growing recognition that, for people and neighborhoods to be healthy and successful, different sectors must work together and that investments in one sector can bring dividends in others. Housing, for example, is increasingly understood to be an important determinant of success in life, affecting health, access to education, and the opportunity for upward mobility.

The condition and location of a family’s home can affect such things as respiratory health and “toxic stress” among children, which can have lasting effects on individuals throughout their lives. The availability of good social services, positive social networks, and job opportunities can determine whether a family achieves the American Dream or not.

In “Housing as a hub for health, community services, and upward mobility," the authors offer four recommendations to strengthen the role housing plays for individual well-being:

  • Improve data collection, sharing, and evaluation.
  • Improve budgetary coordination and funding experimentation.
  • Experiment with different models to organize and manage housing-based services.
  • Strengthen housing-health partnerships.

Read the full report about housing as a hub for health and economic success by Stuart M Butler and Marcela Cabello at Brookings