HUD RECOGNIZES FORT COLLINS HEALTHY HOMES PROGRAM DIY INDOOR AIR QUALITY ASSESSMENT TOOL
Model program in Fort Collins, CO, Earned HUD Secretary's Healthy Homes Award

FORT COLLINS - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recognized Fort Collins as one of four winners of the 2018 HUD Secretary's Award for Healthy Homes (https://www.neha.org/about-neha/awards/hud-award-healthy-homes), an award recognizing excellence in making indoor environments healthier through healthy homes. The award was initiated in 2015 to showcase results achieved under a wide range of housing and indoor environmental health programs.

Fort Collins Healthy Homes Program and DIY (Do it Yourself) Assessment Tool, Fort Collins, CO 

Award for Policy and Education Innovation

12 individuals proudly display award

The City of Fort Collins Healthy Homes program was established in 2011 as an innovative solution to address residential indoor air quality. The program is unique in that it is driven by community members who volunteer their time as Master Home Educators. Since 2011, over 800 in-home assessments have been conducted and 2,475 residents, 19% of whom have asthma, have been reached. To reach more residents, the program created an online DIY Home Assessment Tool, patterned after the Healthy Homes in-home assessment and focuses on the "Eight Principles of a Healthy Home." This interactive and customizable tool (https://healthyhomes.fcgov.com/) walks residents through each area of their home, asking specific questions as it relates to indoor air quality problems and provides low and no-cost solutions. These include ventilation, mold, pests, chemical contaminants, cleanliness, and home maintenance and safety.

The volunteer-driven Fort Collins program offers free indoor air quality assessments to residents that include a carbon monoxide detector, radon test kit and a non-toxic cleaner. Volunteers receive 20 hours of training to become Master Home Educators who conduct the 1-1.5-hour assessments.

The City of Fort Collins' Healthy Homes program was developed in 2011 as an innovative new solution to address residential indoor air quality, which the EPA has identified as one of the top five environmental health risks.

Facts about the City's Healthy Homes program:

• 800 assessments conducted since the program began in 2011
• 20 percent of homes assessed had occupants with asthma or a respiratory problem
• 170 Master Home Educators trained
• 8,167 volunteer hours contributed to the program

This year, the program was expanded to include an online Do-It-Yourself assessment tool to expand the reach of the Healthy Homes program by making information regarding indoor air quality of homes more accessible. The interactive, customizable tool walks people through each area of their home asking specific questions related to indoor air quality concerns including:

• Ventilation
• Mold
• Chemical contaminants
• Cleanliness
• Pests
• Home maintenance
• Safety

Learn more about the DIY program and an in-home assessment at http://www.fcgov.com/healthyhomes.

See video describing the online air quality assessment! (https://healthyhomes.fcgov.com/)

For more information and to try out the online tool at home, go to https://healthyhomes.fcgov.com/

###