Improving Population Health Through Housing Policy: Lessons From the Public Housing Program

Policy Points Housing is a fundamental social determinant of health and is particularly amenable to policy intervention. Policies that seek to improve health should improve housing quality, affordability, and stability. The public housing program has improved health across the life course, but the structure of the program currently limits its applicability. Public housing can be adapted to foster policy innovation at the state level. A renewed public housing program should (1) serve a broader income spectrum; (2) integrate across levels of government; (3) capitalize on the social support benefits of project‐based housing; (4) emphasize effective administration; and (5) develop funding sources less vulnerable to political shifts. Context Housing is a fundamental social determinant of health and is particularly amenable to policy intervention. However, the nationwide housing affordability crisis presents significant challenges for leveraging housing policy to improve population health in the United States. The US public housing program began during the New Deal, but has changed considerably since the mid‐20 th century. The program provides affordable and stable housing to nearly 1 million low‐income families, and may offer lessons for a way forward in improving health through better and more stable housing. Methods Comparing the health impacts of US housing programs, public housing stands out as an unexpected success. Children in public housing experience better mental health, fewer emergency room visits, and greater housing stability. Adults report better physical and mental health, reduced risk of diabetes, and improved food security. However, recent federal housing policy has emphasized the tenant‐centered housing voucher program at the expense of public housing. Findings While the contemporary public housing program improves health and well‐being across the life course, the early public housing program may offer lessons to improve outcomes in the 21 st century. Specifically, a renewed public housing could focus on high‐quality construction, emphasize effective management, and serve a broader spectrum of income levels. I also outline how public housing could benefit from an increasing role for state policy and enable integration across levels of government. Conclusions Housing is particularly responsive to public housing, but current housing policies have proven insufficient to guarantee stable housing for all. The public housing program offers a promising way forward to leverage housing to address the US population health crisis.