Healthy housing October 05, 2007

While we always suspected and hoped that high-quality, safe, attractive, and well-managed housing had a positive effect on overall health, now we have real data to back up that claim.

As part of a study conducted by Rainbow Research, Clare Housing surveyed residents of their Clare Apartments on Central Avenue in Minneapolis. Residents were asked not only about their general emotional well-being, but also provided physical evidence in the form of T-cell counts as a measure of their bodies' fight against AIDS. (T-cells are a key player in our immune system; HIV actively targets and destroys T-cells, leaving the body susceptible to opportunistic infections.)

18 of 24 interviewees stated that the overall quality of their lives had 'greatly improved' or 'somewhat improved' since moving into Clare Apartments. As a corollary, the average T-cell count reported increased from 383 to 504 over the course of a year.

The report as a whole covers the relationship between stable and affordable housing and consistent medical care and support services. The basic finding was a resounding 'Yes,' housing can have a real, measurable impact on health!

More from Clare Housing.
CRA project page for Clare Apartments.