As there is broad consensus on how lack of adequate housing, nutrition, education and transportation can adversely affect a person’s health, a growing number of organizations are trying to address the social determinants of health.
The latest announcement comes from CVS Health, which announced last week, $18.9 million is being invested in the construction and renovation of 150 affordable housing units in Columbus, Ohio.
The project is in partnership with the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CHMA), which is planning a $40 million revitalization of the Post Oak Station housing community in Columbus’ Riverbend neighborhood. The city saw a 20% increase in evictions in December 2020, according to CVS Health Press Releases. The $18.9 million brings CVS Health’s total investment in affordable housing to $1.3 billion over the past 20 years. Since 2020, the retail giant has invested $44.6 million in affordable housing in Columbus and $54.5 million in Ohio.
CVS Health isn’t the only retail company investing in affordable housing. Amazon launched its Housing Equity Fund in 2021, which provides more than $2 billion in below-market loans and grants to protect and create more than 20,000 affordable homes, according to Amazon. website. The program Announce Commitment of $23 million to Seattle in June.Earlier this year, Kaiser Permanente increased $400 million affordable housing plan.
Efforts by CVS Health and others to address housing challenges did not happen in a vacuum. There is a strong connection between Healthy and affordable housing. Low-income households struggling with rent, mortgages or utility bills are less likely to have access to the usual sources of health care and are more likely to delay treatment. High-cost tenants were 23 per cent more likely to have difficulty purchasing food than less-affordable tenants.
“The housing crisis happening across the U.S. is really a medical crisis, and affordable housing is the first step toward improving health and well-being in life,” said Mike Avotins, president of Mideast Markets, CVS Aetna Say health insurance business. “If someone doesn’t have a safe, stable home that fits their budget, then they are at a disadvantage in taking care of their health and managing chronic conditions.”
Currently, Post Oak Station has 26 two-story apartment buildings and a one-story clubhouse built in 1971. Woonsocket in Rhode Island CVS HealthThe pledge will help rehabilitate 142 rental homes in the community, including new furnaces, air conditioning units, appliances and water heaters. Bathrooms, kitchen and electrical systems will also be updated.
In addition to the renovations, the community will add eight new affordable rental homes and a childcare center operated by Columbus Early Learning. The child care center will provide year-round child care for children of low- and moderate-income parents and will help ease the daycare desert on the city’s west side, Avotins said.
This was welcomed by the President of Program Partners at CVS Health.
“Unfortunately, the current child care market in Franklin County is failing too many families, children and businesses,” CMHA President and CEO Charles Hillman said in a statement. “We know that being close to child care is important, Especially for parents in low-paying jobs, they often have less flexibility and control over their schedules and may have to rely on public transport to get to childcare and work.”
In addition to addressing factors not directly related to health, CVS Health also provides direct health care services through Project health plan for the Columbus area.Residents can get tested for free through December For blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose levels and body mass index. These services will be provided at CVS pharmacies and community organizations.
Image credit: Loren, Getty Images
