Spotlight on Rural: Local efforts at the intersection of health and housing

Access to safe and affordable housing provides a foundation for good health, yet half of all rural counties across the country have experienced an increase in severe housing cost burden since the housing crisis of 2006-2010. When too much of a paycheck goes to paying the rent or mortgage housing cost burden can force people to choose among paying for other essentials such as utilities, food, transportation, or medical care. And as housing costs rise, so does the chance of becoming homeless, especially for families with low incomes and household budgets that are already strained. Providing access to safe and affordable housing is a critical part of healthy and equitable communities.

Join County Health Rankings & Roadmaps to hear from two local leaders whose efforts to improve their community focus on the intersection of health and housing. Joy Watson is the Executive Director for the Rice County, MN Housing Redevelopment Authority and Mike Muscarella is the Executive Director of Ambulatory Services for Baptist Health in Paducah, KY. They will share stories of common challenges faced in rural counties and how they collaborated in their respective communities to implement strategies that:
•    increase access to affordable housing and homeownership options, 
•    provide community-based re-entry housing assistance and treatment services, and
•    leverage partnerships to secure financing for housing construction. 

County Health Rankings & Roadmaps will host a one-hour interactive virtual discussion at 4pm ET, immediately following the webinar. We encourage you to participate in an engaging dialogue with peers across the country to share your experiences and your thoughts on how the strategies shared during the webinar may support work in your community. Mark your calendars and plan to stay as long as you're able!