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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) contracted with Healthy Housing Solutions to provide technical and logistical support for the Savannah Regional Environmental Justice and Healthy Homes Conference. The conference promoted healthy homes initiatives to address housing-based environmental justice issues. Conditions in the home disproportionately impact populations such as families with children ages 1-5 through exposure to lead-based paint and other home health hazards, leading to higher rates of asthma, injury, and lead poisoning.

The conference was held at the Savannah Hyatt Regency Hotel in Savannah, Georgia, on Friday and Saturday, March 2-3, 2012. There were a total of 81 participants. The following tracks were offered:

• Environmental Justice Implications for Healthy Homes
• Healthy Homes Training and Guidance
• Partnerships and Funding for Healthy Homes
• The Nuts and Bolts of Healthy Homes

The conference informational and target learning objectives included the following:

• Discuss the evolution of the environmental justice movement and how it is focused on improving the quality of life for impacted communities and their residents.
• Discuss the rationale for CDC’s transition from a lead poisoning prevention to a more holistic healthy housing approach and strategy.
• Describe successful healthy homes program models, including how they incorporate environmental justice, obtain funding, and engage stakeholders.
• Describe how to effectively recruit local partners, obtain healthy housing-related training, determine what the basic requirements are for a healthy home, secure relationships and funding from agencies, and get on CDC’s radar screen.
• Discuss the importance of partnerships between community-based organizations and the federal government.
• Understand healthy housing principles and strategies and how they can work in communities.

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