Green & Health Homes Initiative Hosts Stakeholder Convening

The Central New York Community Foundation is excited to be partnering with the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative Greater Syracuse to correct home health and safety hazards faced by low-income homeowners in Syracuse. The Community Foundation is providing convening, facilitation and grant funding assistance in this effort. On Thursday, December 17, local stakeholders convened at the CNY Philanthropy Center to formally launch this program, which will assist low-income Syracuse households in using less energy and creating homes free of health and safety hazards that may otherwise impact education and employment.

Learn more about this effort in the following press release, distributed by Home HeadQuarters, Inc.

---

December 16, 2015 – The Green & Healthy Homes Initiative Greater Syracuse will host a stakeholder convening on December 17th from 3:00 – 4:30 pm at the CNY Philanthropy Center located at 431 E. Fayette Street.  This event is an opportunity for various community stakeholders to learn more about the goals and impacts expected and what we intend to achieve with our local Green & Healthy Homes Initiative, an effort created through a $1 million grant from New York State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman.  In collaboration with the national Green & Healthy Home Initiative, this innovative local partnership will work to replace stand-alone housing intervention programs with an integrated, whole-house approach that produces greener, healthier and safer homes resulting in healthier and financially sustainable families in the Greater Syracuse area.

Since 2013, community stakeholders, under the direction, organization and funding of the Central New York Community Foundation and with additional financial support and guidance from the Health Foundation of Western and Central New York began meeting around promoting a new model of assessing and intervening in homes from a holistic approach.  This new comprehensive Green & Healthy Homes model that is now being implemented will look at both the health of the home in addition to the well-being of the occupants in the property with the goal to “reduce the wear and tear on families” by better coordinating multiple home repair activities while focusing on health and safety hazards and energy loss issues that are present in the home.

“Too many low-income New York families live in houses that are unsafe, unhealthy, and highly energy inefficient,” said Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman. “I am proud to partner with Home Headquarters, the Central New York Community Foundation, and others to create a program to help Syracuse’s most vulnerable homeowners cut their heating bills, and end health and safety threats.  The Green and Healthy Homes Initiative will help strengthen neighborhoods and revitalize communities in Greater Syracuse.”
“The Central New York Community Foundation is honored to partner with the NYS Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman on this initiative. The promise of addressing the health, safety and efficiency issues faced by low-income homeowners will be a game-changer for many families in Syracuse. We wholeheartedly support the efforts of Home HeadQuarters, and all of our community partners, to improve systems of service for City residents,” Peter Dunn, Central New York Community Foundation President and CEO said.

“The Health Foundation for Western and Central New York is excited to be a philanthropic partner in the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative in Syracuse.  By bringing together so many committed partners to focus on comprehensive solutions to the health and safety hazards that are affecting homeowners in
our community, this important initiative will ultimately result in healthier children and families,” Health Foundation President Ann F. Monroe said.

With the $1 million investment from Attorney General Schneiderman, these funds will be used to pursue the national Green & Healthy Homes Initiative designation and provide gap funding for more than 200 homes that will be undertaken in this new home improvement coupled with health intervention model.  Home HeadQuarters, Inc., a Syracuse based nonprofit Community Based Development Organization and Community Development Financial Institution will serve as the contract manager for the funds that will be leveraged with other program funding to improve the energy efficiency of homes while also addressing home-based environmental health hazards that cause asthma episodes, lead poisoning and household injury.

“We are particularly excited about the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative because it encourages a holistic assessment of all the hazards present in the home that might be placing a low or moderate-income family at risk.  These hazards will be addressed resulting in a much safer living environment,” said Kerry Quaglia, Executive Director of Home HeadQuarters.

____________________________________________________________________________________

The Green & Healthy Homes Initiative® (GHHI®) is a national nonprofit dedicated to breaking the link between unhealthy housing and unhealthy residents. GHHI replaces stand-alone housing intervention programs with an integrated, whole-house approach that produces sustainable green, healthy and safe homes. GHHI is improving health, economic and social outcomes for families across the country.

Home HeadQuarters is committed to creating housing and related opportunities and services in Central and Upstate NY that improve the lives of underserved people and revitalize the communities in which they live. Founded in 1996, Home HeadQuarters was established to address the declining homeownership rates throughout the city. The agency offers comprehensive homebuyer education, offers a variety of home improvement products and conducts real estate development activities throughout the City of Syracuse.