Overview

GHHI Detroit-Wayne County is comprised of nearly 50 partner organizations dedicated to creating green, healthy and safe homes for children and families in Detroit and Wayne County.  These partners are implementing a cost-effective and integrated approach to healthy housing interventions by aligning, braiding and coordinating resources for health, safety, and weatherization.

Using a collaborative approach, GHHI Detroit-Wayne County is successful at reducing housing-related risks and increasing energy efficiency; sustaining safe and healthy homes through advocacy, policy change, and increased enforcement.  Creating green and healthy employment opportunities through job training and placement is another success of the collaborative.

Goals

  • Improving health outcomes for children, seniors and families by creating safe and healthy home environments.
  • Increasing energy efficiency for low and moderate income families.
  • Reducing health-related barriers to school and work attendance and performance for children and families.
  • Implementing a cost-effective and integrated approach to housing interventions by aligning, braiding and coordinating investments in weatherization, energy efficiency, health and safety through interagency partnership.

The mission of GHHI Detroit-Wayne County is to reduce housing-related health risks to increase the quality of life for children and families in Detroit and Wayne County.

This mission is pursued by adapting houses to reduce risks and make them more energy efficient as well as through creating safe and healthy homes standards through policy change, legal enforcement and advocacy.

This mission is supplemented by creating employment opportunities for low-income Detroit residents in the green and healthy housing sector through job training and placement.

Our vision is to transform every house in Detroit and Wayne County into a green and healthy home that provides safety and comfort for all children, families and seniors.

Nationally, the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative (GHHI) was launched in 2008 by the Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning, the Council on Foundations and the White House Office of Recovery to lead the national efforts to integrate lead hazard control, healthy homes, and weatherization and energy efficiency work.  GHHI is supported by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Department of Energy.  Detroit was designated as one of the initial 12 GHHI cities; today there are 17. Building upon the work started by the Kresge Foundation’s “Get the Lead Out” program, along with the efforts of City of Detroit and The Skillman Foundation, GHHI Detroit-Wayne County was formed.  In 2011, the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative Compact for the City of Detroit-Wayne County was signed by the Mayor of Detroit, foundation presidents, city department directors and non-profit executive directors affirming their commitment to creating green, healthy and safe homes for children and families living in Detroit and Wayne County.

  • Promoting community awareness about the characteristics of a healthy home.
  • Supporting neighborhood stabilization by making Detroit’s existing housing stock safe, healthy and energy efficient.
  • Breaking down employment barriers to higher quality green jobs through training and placement of Detroit residents.
  • Providing a sustainable solution to safe and healthy housing through policy change, increased enforcement and advocacy for children and families.