Promoting green building programs and policies that support sustainability and protect public health

San Francisco Department of Public Health's (SFDPH) Program on Health, Equity and Sustainability aims to improve the quality of housing by reducing exposure to environmental hazards, pesticides, toxic cleaners and reducing asthma triggers for families at risk, especially for low income and public housing developments. Our program has also developed a public health framework to relate project development to residential displacement as well as housing affordability and how these factors adversely affect human health through housing impact assessments. We have conducted research on available methods and current practices applicable to housing affordability and residential displacement impact analysis and study the environmental exposures and the health effects of living in green housing. Some of our environmental exposure efforts includes collecting data, conducting research and interventions relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, and control of indoor pollution to provide better solutions to indoor air quality (IAQ) problems and improve IAQ policy-making; Providing technical support on a study to measure environmental exposures and to study the health effects of living in green housing; and as a member of San Francisco Municipal Green Building Task Force advise the Task Force on health impacts from building and construction and ensure the city provides a high quality and healthy interior environment for city employees and citizens. This presentation will highlight how city agencies and community partners collaborate to promote green building programs and policies that support sustainability, environmental justice, protect public health, and provide opportunities to improve health outcomes in vulnerable populations living in poor housing conditions.