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>>> Good morning, everybody. Thanks for coming.
I know it's the day after the Super Bowl
Do we have any ravens fans out there?
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] >> Congratulations.
I'd like to welcome you here, and a special welcome to our
distinguished guests that are with me now.
My name is John Gant. I'm the director of the office
of healthy homes and lead hazard control within the Housing and
Urban Development. Our mission for many years has
focused on reducing lead poisoning in children.
We've been very successful in that effort by educating the
public, improving awareness, conducting research and
particularly through direct intervention.
Our grant programs to cities, states and other groups have
served as a catalyst to promote healthy housing nationwide.
Many of you here are champions of that fight, and I salute you
and value your commitment and partnership.
Over the past few years, our other environmental hazards in
the home that impact the health of residents, particularly
children, the elderly and the disabled.
That could be radon, a cause of cancer.
Could be mold and mildew that exacerbating asthma or a variety
of other hazards. Secretary Shaun Donovan
recognized the critical overlap of housing and health early when
he assumed leadership of the department of Housing and Urban
Development. The health of our children,
particularly in low-income neighborhoods, is largely
affected by where they live. He incorporated that vision into
our strategic plan and called for us to leverage the
commitment and the resources of all.
Federal, state, private groups and foundations to reduce the
number of homes with health hazards.
It not only makes sense from a moral perspective but from an
economic sense as well. You can be much more efficient
if you go in and do a single assessment and then bring a
multidisciplinary approach to fixing what is wrong with that
particular home, resulting in less doctor visits, better
attendance in school for our kids and less workdays lost for
parents. The secretary challenged us to
look for ways to define the problem to improve program
delivery, to engage our partners to be more creative, more
focused, more flexible and yes, more accountable.
In 2009 we formed the healthy homes workgroup which was a
group of mostly federal agencies and departments that came
together to take a look at healthy homes.
That later transformed or was subsumed by the federal task
force on environmental health risks and safety to children.
That group, which is sanctioned by the president, came up with
two primary priorities going forward.
We had handled lead, or at least we've got a good plan there, but
the next two were asthma and healthy homes.
It gives me great pleasure to introduce the secretary of the
department of Housing and Urban Development, the honorable Shaun
Donovan. He's devoted his career to
assuring access to safe, decent and affordable housing and
believes that America's homes are the foundation for family,
safe neighborhoods, good schools and job creation.
Secretary Donovan has a long history of working to provide
affordable housing to American families.
Many of you know he's served previously as our deputy
assistant secretary in a previous administration and he
served as the commissioner of the New York housing of
preservation and development. In December 2012, President
Obama created the hurricane Sandy rebuilding task force and
appointed secretary Donovan as the chair.
The task force is charged with leading the long-term disaster
recovery efforts in those states affected by hurricane Sandy by
that devastating storm. It is my honor to present
secretary Shaun Donovan.
[ APPLAUSE ] >> Thank you so much, John.
I just want to recognize John's wonderful, wonderful leadership
of our office of healthy homes, the work he's done on lead
hazard control as well. Just remarkable.
[ APPLAUSE ] >> We've also got a phenomenal
lineup here. Just look at this group in this
magnificent space here today. I want to thank our partners
that joined us. Chair of the White House counsel
on environmental quality, Nancy subtly.
Surgeon general vice admiral Regina Benjamin.
Department of Energy deputy Decretary Dan Ponoman and
particularly Lisa Jackman. Of all the things she could have
been doing in her last week on
NOW, OUR CONTRIBUTION HERE, OUR MAIN FOCUS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY PERSPECTIVE
HAS BEEN ON THE WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
THIS IS A CLASSIC CASE, A PROGRAM THAT HAD LONG EXISTED SINCE 1976, IN FACT, BUT HAS
FOUND NEW LIFE, NEW MEANING, NEW LEVERAGE THROUGH THIS EFFORT AND THROUGH THE RECOVERY
ACT, WHICH GAVE US AN ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO HELP A LOT OF PEOPLE WEATHERIZE THEIR HOMES.
IN FACT, THIS PROGRAM HAS PUT 24,000 PROFESSIONALS IN HOMES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS
WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND HAS ALSO PUT THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS BACK TO WORK IN CONDUCTING
ENERGY AUDITS AND ASSISTING IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PROGRAM AND IN CARRYING OUT ENERGY
EFFICIENCY UPGRADES TO MORE THAN 1MILLION LOW INCOME HOMES.
THIS IS A TREMENDOUS ACCOMPLISHMENT, AND IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE TO PEOPLE.
IT SAVES ON AVERAGE MORE THAN $400 PER FAMILY IN THEIR ANNUAL GAS AND ELECTRICAL BILLS.
IT IMPROVES THEIR DAILY LIVES AND THE PEOPLE WHO CALL THESE PLACES HOME HAVE A CLEANER,
BETTER, SAFER AND, IN FACT, CHEAPER PLACE TO LIVE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, FOR THE PURPOSES
OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY IN THE RELEASE OF THIS NEW VERY IMPORTANT STRATEGY, A HEALTHIER
PLACE FOR ALL OF OUR AMERICAN CITIZENS. WHEN ONE OF OUR PROFESSIONALS ENTERS A HOME
AND CONDUCTS AN ENERGY AUDIT, THEY CHECK THE OO APPLIANCES, METERS, AND LOOK FOR MOLD,
MILDEW AND WATER LEAKAGE THAT CAN CREATE THE KINDS OF PROBLEMS THAT YOU JUST HEARD DR.BENJAMIN
SUBSCRIBE SO ELOQUENTLY. THIS MAKES A REAL DIFFERENCE TO PEOPLE IN
THEIR DAILY LIVES. JUST ASK ANYBODY WHO HAS BENEFITED FROM THIS
PROGRAM. WE KNOW OF ONE COUPLE AND SENIOR CITIZENS
IN FERN DALE WASHINGTON. THEY HAD BEEN HAVING A LOT OF HEALTH PROBLEMS.
A LEAKING ROOF, AGING AIR DUCTS AND MOLDY CRAWL SPACE.
IT MADE EVERYTHING WORSE, INCLUDING HOW SHE FELT EVERY DAY.
AFTER OUR LOCAL WEATHERIZATION TEAM FIXED THE ROOF, ADDED INSULATION AND SEALED UP THE
CRAWL SPAILS, NOT ONLY DID SHE FEEL A LOT BETTER, BUT THEIR HEATING BILL IMPROVED, AND
SHE REPORTS HER ASTHMA SYMPTOMS ARE MUCH, MUCH BETTER, AND SHE'S BEEN SLEEPING THROUGH
THE NIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MANY YEARS. THAT'S JUST ONE OUT OF OVER A MILLION CASES
THAT WE NOW HAVE OF HOMES IMPROVED THROUGH THIS WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM.
WE HEAR THESE STORIES EVERY DAY. THESE WEATHERIZATION PROFESSIONALS ARE ON
THE FRONT LINES HELPING AMERICAN PEOPLE, AND I SEE OUT IN THE AUDIENCE BOB ADAMS, THE OUTSTANDING
LEADER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM, AND I WANTED TO THANK YOU, SIR, FOR
YOUR SERVICE. THE RESIDENT WAS ACTUALLY TAKING OXYGEN, WHICH
IS NOT TYPICALLY WHAT WE DO, AND SHE HAD BEEN FEELING POORLY FOR WEEKS, AND SHE TOLD THEM
SO. SO CARL CHECKED IT OUT.
HE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE FOUND IT ANYWAY, BUT WHEN HE LOOKED, HE SAW THAT A PIPE IN THE
OLD WATER HEATER SYSTEM WAS CLOGGED. CARBON MONOXIDE WAS LEAKING BACK INTO THE
LIVING AREA OF THE HOUSE. HE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT?
I THINK YOU BETTER GO SEE A DOCTOR, AND SHE DID, THANK GOODNESS, BECAUSE SHE HAD ABSORBED
NEAR LETHAL LEVELS OF CARBON MONOXIDE. SHE SURVIVED.
SHE IS LIVING TODAY, AND IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF CARL.
SO CARL, PLEASE STAND. [ APPLAUSE ].
CARL SAYS HE'S JUST DOING HIS JOB, BUT THIS IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW THIS PROGRAM HAS
MADE A REAL DIFFERENCE IN REAL LIVES AND HAS SAVED AMERICAN LIVES, AND WHEN YOU THINK OF
THE KIDS WHO ARE EXPOSED TO THESE HOMES, A FIFTH OF OUR PEOPLE LIVING IN CIRCUMSTANCES
THEY OUGHT NOT TO, WE HAVE TREMENDOUS HOUSING STOCK WITH A LOT OF NEEDS, AS SECRETARY DONOVAN
HAS ALREADY DESCRIBED, AND SO IT IS FOR THAT REASON THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY IS WORKING
SO HARD TO BUILD A PIPELINE OF WEATHERIZATION PROFESSIONALS, TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION
OF CARL HARVEYS. WE HAVE HELPED TO CREATE A NETWORK OF 40 TRAINING
CENTERS LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, EACH USING A CURRICULUM DESIGNED BY THE WEATHERIZATION
PROGRAM TO PROVIDE BOTH CLASSROOM AND FIELD TRAINING ON AT LEAST 14 DIFFERENT WEATHERIZATION
PROJECTS. WE ALSO OFFER ONLINE TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR
PEOPLE WHO CANNOT ATTEND IN PERSON, AND WE'RE PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS COALITION, ALSO,
BECAUSE IT JUST MAKES SENSE. SAVING AMERICAN FAMILIES MONEY ON THEIR UTILITY
BILLS AND IMPROVING THEIR LIVES AND THE TIME THEY SPEND IN THEIR HOMES.
70% OF OUR TIME WE SPEND IN OUR HOMES. WE NEED TO MAKE THAT A SAFE PLACE.
IT ALL GOES HAND IN HAND. WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONTINUED COLLABORATION
WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS HERE TODAY. I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT PART OF THE LEVERAGING
THAT YOU SEE, AND I THINK QUITE CONSIST KENT ALL OF THE ABOVE STRATEGIES FOR ENERGY, BUT
ALSO A WHOLE GOVERNMENT APPROACH WHICH WE ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK NANCY SUITLY FOR HER
LEADERSHIP. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SPECIAL MENTION,
AS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE HERE TODAY, THAT FOR ME, IT IS AN HONOR AS WELL AS A PLEASURE AND
A PRIVILEGE TO HAND THE MICROPHONE OVER TO ADMINISTRATOR LISA JACKSON, WHO HAS BEEN A
TIRELESS, ENERGETIC, VISIONARY LEADER AND ADVOCATE FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE HEALTHY
HOMES WORKING GROUP AND JUST AN OUTSTANDING ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY. [ APPLAUSE ].
>> THANK YOU. OH, MY GOODNESS.
I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS GOING TO BE MY VALEDICTORIAN ADDRESS.
I'LL KEEP IT TO 20 MINUTES. IT WILL BE GOOD.
DON'T WORRY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I'M NOT GOING TO DO THE TRADITIONAL WASHINGTON THING OF GOING BACK AND THANKING EVERYBODY
WHO THANKED ME, BUT PART OF WHAT I WOULD HAVE SAID ANYWAY IS TO SALUTE SOME OF THE LEADERSHIP
THAT MAKES DAYS LIKE TODAY HAPPEN, AND IT'S NOT JUST A SALUTE TO LEADERSHIP BUT THE PEOPLE
WHO MAKE IT HAPPEN. SO I FIRST WANT TO START WITH SHAUN DONOVAN.
I THINK OF TWO THINGS WHEN I THINK OF SECRETARY DONOVAN ON THE PROFESSIONAL SIDE.
I WON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT A GREAT FRIEND HE IS AND HOW MUCH FUN HE IS AT PARTIES.
THAT'S FOR ANOTHER CONVERSATION. BUT THE FIRST IS TRANSFORMATIONAL, AND I DON'T
SAY THAT LIGHTLY. I GREW UP IN NEW ORLEANS, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW,
IN THE NINTH WARD. MY MOM LOST HER HOME IN HURRICANE KATRINA.
WHAT I THINK ABOUT WHAT SECRETARY DONOVAN DID FROM DAY ONE TO TRANSFORM HOW THE DEPARTMENT
OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT LOOKED AT THE CHALLENGE AND OPPORTUNITES IN THAT GREAT
AMERICAN CITY, I KNOW IT COULD NOT AND WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT HIM AND HIS VISION
AND STAFF, AND SO I THANK HIM FOR THAT, AND I THINK HAVING LIVED MOST RECENTLY IN NEW
JERSEY HOW FORTUNATE THE PEOPLE IN NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY, WHO SUFFERED FROM HURRICANE
SANDY AND ITS ILL EFFECTS ARE THAT HE'S AGREED TO CHAIR THE TASK FORCE FOR THE PRESIDENT.
I WANT TO SALUTE HIS TRANSFORMATION. BUT BEFORE WE SALUTE HIM JUST FOR TRANSFORMATION,
I ALSO WANT TO SALUTE THE FACT THAT ALL OF OUR CABINET COLLEAGUES, AND WE HAVE A WONDERFUL
GROUP OF FOLKS, WHEN I THINK ABOUT SHAUN, I THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT A DOLLAR NEVER
DOES JUST ONE THING. HOUSING MONEY, WHICH POURS FROM OUR FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, IS TO MAKE HOUSING BETTER AND IMPROVE IT.
BUT IN SHAUN'S WORLD, IT'S TO MAKE HOUSING MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT.
IT'S TO MAKE HOUSING MORE JUST AND FAIR. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE JOBS.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO REBUILD LIVES AND COMMUNITIES THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN DEVASTATED BY NATURAL
OR ECONOMIC DISASTERS, AND IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE IT HEALTHIER.
AND ALL OF THAT COMES FROM EVERY MEETING I HAVE WITH SHAUN WHERE SOMETIMES HE HAS TO
EXPLAIN TO ME HOW TRANSFORMATIONAL AND WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY THERE IS TO MULTITASK, AND
SO I DO WANT TO SALUTE YOU FOR THAT. WE WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY, LITERALLY, WITHOUT
YOUR LEADERSHIP. SO THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]. I WANT TO ALSO SAY AT LEAST ONE FUNNY THING
ABOUT AT LEAST EVERY PANELIST HERE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TIME.
NANCY SUITLY IS A GREAT FRIEND AND A LEADER OF MAKING SURE INITIATIVES LIKE THIS THAT
CROSS SO MANY PARTS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ACTUALLY HAVE A HOME AND A PLACE TO TAKE ROOT
AND A PLACE TO GROW AND SUPPORT AND EVERYTHING FROM BUDGETING ALL THE WAY THROUGH POLICYMAKING.
AND SO TO NANCY, I THANK HER. TO THE VICE ADMIRAL, TO THE SURGEON GENERAL,
TO THE MEDICAL DOCTOR THAT IS OUR WONDERFUL SURGEON GENERA GINA GENERAL REGINA BENJAMIN,
SHE GAVE A HINT AT WHY WE'RE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE HER, BECAUSE SHE SEES BROADLY HEALTH,
ALL THE WAY FROM THE HAZARDS TO CHEMICAL CHALLENGES AND RESEARCH NEEDED.
WE'VE BEEN SO FORTUNATE, AND WHEN WE DO GET TO PARTNER, THAT IS ALWAYS GREAT.
DAN, YOU SALUTE ME, BUT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TO SEE IN THE OPPORTUNITY OF ENERGY
FISH TI EFFICIENCY AND MONEY SPENT TO CREATE JOBS IN THE ECONOMY AND A CHANCE TO MAKE PEOPLE
HEALTHIER IS IS A WHOLE GOVERNMENT APPROACH UNHERALDED.
WHEN WE UP HERE THINK ABOUT THE WORK WE DO, IT ALWAYS HELPS.
WE GET OUR ENERGY FROM HERE AND HOW IT PLAYS OUT ON THE GROUND.
CONGRATULATION, SIR. VERY ADMIRABLE.
SO MY JOB IS TO JUST MAKE A QUICK AND I'VE GOT TO THANK ALL THE STAFFERS, MY OWN EPA
FOLKS SITTING RIGHT HERE, BUT ALL THE FOLKS WHO WORK SO HARD TO MAKE THESE THINGS HAPPEN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. [ APPLAUSE ].
PEOPLE THINK ABOUT EPA AND THINK ABOUT THE GREAT OUTDOORS.
THEY DON'T NECESSARILY THINK ABOUT BUILDINGS AND THE GREAT INDOORS.
BUT LIKE SO MUCH ELSE, PROTECTING PEOPLE, WHICH IS OUR JOB, PROTECTING HUMAN HEALTH
AND THE ENVIRONMENT CANNOT HAPPEN IF WE DON'T THINK ABOUT THE INDOORS.
AMERICANS STILL SPEND ABOUT 90% OF THEIR TIME INDOORS SOMEWHERE WHERE, UNFORTUNATELY, IF
WE'RE NOT CAREFUL, THE AIR IS OFTEN TO THIS DAY STILL OFTEN MORE POLLUTED THAN THE AIR
OUTSIDE. TODAY FAR TOO MANY OF US STILL LIVE IN HOMES
WHERE IN ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS CAN LEAD TO A RANGE OF SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM HEALTH
ISSUES. MILLIONS WHICH AMERICANS LIVE IN HOUSING UNITS
WITH ELEVATED LEVELS OF INVISIBLE CONTAMINANTS, PLACING THEMSELVES AT RISK EVERY DAY.
RADON IS ONE OF THESE INVISIBLE CONTAMINANTS, ONE OF EPA'S HIGHEST HEALTH PRIORITIES.
WHY? EVERY YEAR MORE THAN 20,000 AMERICANS DIE
FROM RADON INDUCED LUNG CANCER. JUST THE FRACTION OF LUNG CANCER CAUSED BY
RADON KILLS ALMOST AS MANY PEOPLE EVERY YEAR AS LEUKEMIA OR LYMPHOMA.
RADON RELATED LUNG CANCER KILLS MORE PEOPLE ANNUALLY THAN OVER VAIRN OVARIAN CANCER,
BRAIN CANCER OR STOMACH CANCER. AND THEN THINK ABOUT THE MOST VULNERABLE AMONG
US, OUR CHILDREN. A CHILD BORN IN AMERICA TODAY WILL GROW UP
EXPOSED TO MORE CHEMICALS THAN A CHILD FROM ANY OTHER GENERATION IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
CHILDREN'S RAPIDLY GROWING AND DEVELOPING BODIES ARE MORE SENSITIVE TO THE EFFECTS OF
ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS THAN ADULTS ARE. AND WHILE WE KNOW THERE ARE MANY FACTORS CONTRIBUTING
TO THE UPWARD TREND IN CHILDREN'S HEALTH ISSUES AND WE SEE UPWARD TRENDS IN DEVELOPMENTAL
DISORDERS, INCLUDING AUTISM AND ADD, ADHD, ASTHMA, CANCER, OBESITY, RESEARCH INCREASING
POINTS TO ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS. CHILDREN AREN'T THE ONE ONES, THOUGH, WHO
ARE ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE. WHILE UNHEALTHY AND INADEQUATE HOUSING CONTINUES
TO EFFECT THE HEALTH OF MILLIONS FROM ALL INCOME LEVELS AND GEOGRAPHIC LEVELS, SUBSTANDARD
HOUSING DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTS THOSE WHO LIVE IN MINORITY OR LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES.
NEARLY 13% OF THE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AMERICANS LIVE IN HIGH RADON AREAS.
THAT'S MORE THAN 6MILLION PEOPLE. NOW, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT RADON AND MANY
OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE HOME ARE PREVENTIBLE AND WITH TODAY'S
STRATEGY FOR ACTION ON ADVANCING HEALTHY HOUSE, WE ARE CLOSER THAN EVER TO EFFECTIVELY PREVENTING
THEM. THE STRATEGY IS A COMPREHENSIVE AND COORDINATED
APPROACH TO HEALTHY HOUSING. IT PLACES THIS ISSUE NOT JUST ON OUR INDIVIDUAL
AGENDAS BUT ON THE NATIONAL AGENDA. EPA AND ITS PARTNERS HAVE IDENTIFIED WAYS
THAT WE CAN WORK BETTER ACROSS OUR AGENCIES THROUGHOUT THE FEDERAL FAMILY.
IT BUILDS ON OTHER EFFORTS, LIKE OUR FEDERAL RADON ACTION PLAN AND THE FEDERAL ACTION PLAN
TO REDUCE ASTHMA DISPARITIES AND INSURES WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER AND TARGETING OUR RESOURCES
AND MAKING REAL PROGRESS. THE GROUNDWORK HAS BEEN LAID, AND AS THE STRATEGY
IS IMPLEMENTED, I BELIEVE FAMILIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY WILL BENEFIT FROM CLEANER AIR
INSIDE THEIR HOMES. I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT I THINK IT'S ESPECIALLY
IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK AT HUD ASSISTED MULTIFAMILY HOUSING, BECAUSE FOR SO OFTEN THE PEOPLE WHO
ARE MOST EFFECTED DON'T HAVE THE TOOLS OR EVEN THE AUTHORITY TO BE ABLE TO DEMAND CHANGE
OR BETTERMENT. SO I ALSO WANT TO SALUTE THE ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE COMPONENT OF TODAY'S WORK. NOW, I MENTIONED CARL AND HOW INSPIRATIONAL
THAT IS. I THINK IT'S REALLY FITTING THAT AT THE END
OF ALL OF THIS POLICY TALK WE TALK TO THE KINDS OF AMERICANS WHO KEEP ALL OF US MINDFUL
OF WHY THIS WORK IS SO IMPORTANT. SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING MARLENE MCCUNE
WHO IS A REPRESENTATIVE FROM CANCER SURVIVORS AGAINST RADON AND HEAR HER STORY AND REALIZE
THAT FOR EVERY ONE OF THESE INITIATIVES, WE'RE LOOKING FOR REAL WORLD IMPROVEMENTS, SO WE
DON'T HAVE TO HAVE MARLENE ADVOCATING AS SHE HAS SO EFFECTIVELY UP UNTIL NOW.
THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ].
>> GOOD MORNING. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF CANCER, WHICH IS THE
CANCER SURVIVORS AGAINST RADON. WE HAVE A MEMBERSHIP OF ABOUT 40 PEOPLE, SOME
OF WHOM ARE WIDOWS, SOME OF WHOM ARE ACTUALLY FIGHTING LUNG CANCER, RADON INDUCED LUNG CANCER
AT THIS TIME. WE HAVE A FLUCTUATION IN OUR MEMBERSHIP, BECAUSE
MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LUNG CANCER ARE NOT SURVIVORS, SO THE NUMBERS GO UP AND DOWN.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ADMINISTRATOR JACKSON AND CHAIRWOMAN SUITLY, SECRETARY DONOVAN,
ADMIRAL AND DEPUTY. I'M HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY FOR THIS IMPORTANT
EVENT. I WANT TO APPLAUD AND THANK ALL OF THE AGENCIES
INVOLVED FOR HUD'S PROGRESSIVE ACTION AND CONVEY CANCER FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT, ELIZABETH
HOFFMAN, SHE WAS SO EXCITED TO HEAR THIS NEWS. LIZ IS A NONSMOKER, AND AT 37 YEARS OLD, SHE
WAS DIAGNOSED WITH TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE CANCER. SHE FOUND OUT IT WAS RADON INDUCED BY TESTING
HER HOME. SHE CAN'T BE HERE TODAY BECAUSE SHE'S UNDERGOING
YET ANOTHER ROUND OF CHEMOTHERAPY. SHE'S ENDURED NINE YEARS OF CHEMO, RADIATION,
WHICH ARE EXPENSIVE AND TOUGH TREATMENTS. SHE HAS STAGE 4 LUNG CANCER.
SHE WANTS ME TO CONVEY THE FOLLOWING WORDS TO ALL OF YOU.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THIS STEP TO SAVE LIVES. I HAVE BEEN FIGHTING LUNG CANCER FROM RADON
FOR OVER 9 YEARS. MANY VICTIMS DIE BEFORE THIS TIME.
I'VE BEEN BLESSED WITH THIS TIME TO SHARE MY STORY SO OTHERS WON'T HAVE TO HEAR THE
WORDS "YOU HAVE CANCER". MY HUSBAND BOB.
HERE IS A PICTURE OF BOB UP HERE, I CARRY THAT PICTURE WITH ME, AND WHENEVER I SPEAK,
WHENEVER I TESTIFY, THAT PICTURE IS SHOWN. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ADD A A FACE TO
THE NAME. BOB PASSED AWAY FROM RADON INDUCED LUNG CANCER
IN NOVEMBER2004. HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH LATE STAGE LUNG CANCER
DUE TO RADON EXPOSURE IN 2003. THE EPA ACTION LEVEL FOR RADON IS FOUR PICO
CARRIES PER LEADER. OUR HOME TESTED OUT AT 57.2.
BOB WAS 49 YEARS OLD WHEN HE PASSED AWAY. HE LEFT MYSELF, FOUR CHILDREN, ONE GRANDCHILD,
HIS PARENTS AND HIS BROTHER. HE WAS A LOVING AND INCREDIBLE FAMILY MAN,
AND I MISS HIM DEARLY. OUR HOUSE THAT WE LIVED IN AT THE TIME THAT
BOB PASSED AWAY WAS MY FAMILY HOME THAT I GREW UP IN.
MY FATHER BUILT IT IN 1948. IT HAS A FULL BASEMENT.
MY MOTHER ALSO PASSED AWAY FROM LUNG CANCER IN THE YEAR 2000.
SHE HAD BEEN A PRIOR SMOKER AND HAD LIVED IN THE HOUSE FOR 43 YEARS BEFORE BOB AND I
BOUGHT IT FROM MY PARENTS AND MOVED IN IN 1991.
WE THOUGHT AT THE TIME OF HER DEATH THAT HER DEATH WAS ATTRIBUTABLE TO SMOKING.
ON A SIDE NOTE, OUR CAT HAD LIVED IN THE BASEMENT FOR 10 YEARS, AND SHE DIED OF MANY, MANY CANCERS.
SHE WAS RIDDLED WITH CANCER WHEN SHE DIED, AS WELL.
LUNG CANCER IS CALLED THE INVISIBLE DISEASE, BECAUSE THERE'S VERY, VERY FEW WARNING SIGNS.
BOB WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A LUMP ON HIS NECK, AND HE THOUGHT THAT HE HAD ACTUALLY BURST
A MUSCLE IN HIS NECK. HE WAS A BUILDING CONTRACTOR.
HE WENT TO THE DOCTOR AND FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS A LYMPH NODE, AND BY THE TIME HE WAS DIAGNOSED,
THE LUNG CANCER HAD BEEN IN HIS SYSTEM FOR OVER TWO YEARS, THE DOCTORS ESTIMATED.
IT HAD ALREADY WIDELY METASTASIZED TO HIS BONES AND HIS BACK, PROMINENTLY IN HIS BREAST
BONE. WITHIN 6 MONTHS, IT WENT INTO HIS BRAIN.
HE HAD NINE LESIONS IN HIS BRAIN, MAJOR LESIONS. IT WENT INTO HIS SPINAL COLUMN SHORTLY AFTER
THAT. BOB LIVED 15 MONTHS AFTER DIAGNOSIS.
WE TESTED AND FIXED OUR HOME. THERE ARE OTHERS OUT THERE WHO DON'T KNOW
OR HAVE THE OPTION OF FIXING THE HOME OR BUILDING THAT THEY LIVE IN.
IF I HAD ONE WISH FOR RADON AND THIS POLICY THAT'S BEING ANNOUNCED TODAY IS A STEP
A HUGE STEP, HUGE STEP FOR RADON, MY WISH LIST WOULD BE THAT TESTING AND MITIGATION
OF EVERY HOME IN THE UNITED STATES WAS MANDATORY, THAT RADON RESISTANT NEW CONSTRUCTION BE A
REQUIREMENT, WHICH IS ACTUALLY IS IN OREGON. IN 2010, I WAS PART ACTUALLY COCHAIR OF
THE RADON COALITION, AS WELL. IT WAS PART OF THAT PROCEDURE, TESTIFYING
AND GETTING THAT POLICY THROUGH, AND WE NOW HAVE NEW RESIDENTIAL AND PUBLIC BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
CODES THAT WILL GREATLY HELP OUR AREA. I AM PLEASED AND THANKFUL THAT HUD IS TAKING
THESE STEPS TO PROTECT THOSE LIVING IN MULTIFAMILY HOUSING.
BECAUSE OF HUD'S ACTIONS AND EPA SUPPORT, PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN APARTMENTS AND MAY NOT
KNOW OR HAVE THE RIGHT TO TEST WILL BE PROTECTED BY THIS PROGRESSIVE AND SENSIBLE STEP ANNOUNCED
TODAY BY SECRETARY DONOVAN AND SUPPORTED BY ALLFUL YOU.
WHEN ALL OF YOU. WHEN THE VOICES OF REAL LIFE AND DEATH STORIES
JOIN TOGETHER WITH OTHERS, LIVES WITH BE SAVED. KNOW YOUR EFFORTS MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND CONTINUE
TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THE DANGERS OF RADON AND CONTINUE TO SAVE MORE LIVES.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, FROM THE BOTTOM WHICH MY OF MY HEART.
[ APPLAUSE ]. >> MS.MCCUNE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING
AND SHARING THAT VERY PERSONAL STORY. IF THIS STRATEGY ANNOUNCED TODAY CAN PREVENT
JUST ONE SITUATION LIKE YOURS, THEN IT'S WELL WORTH IT, AND THAT'S THE TYPE OF THING THAT
YOU WILL AFTER US ARE HOPING TO ACHIEVE EITHER THROUGH AWARENESS OR PROTECTION GOING FORWARD.
THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EACH OF OUR SPEAKERS
FOR PARTICIPATING IN TODAY'S PROGRAM AND PERSONALLY WANT TO JOIN WITH THE OTHERS IN WITCHING
WISHING US WISHING YOU THAT'S A MARINE CORPS SLOGAN.
IN FACT, I HAVE TO SHARE THIS STORY WITH YOU, BECAUSE MY FATHER WAS THE SECRETARY AND
I SERVED TOGETHER WHEN HE WAS DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY.
BACK THEN HIS NAME WAS SHAUN. AND WHEN HE CAME INTO THE BUILDING, HE WONDERED
DOWN TO MY OFFICE, AND I GOT UP AND SAID, SHAUN, IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU.
I'M SORRY, MR.SECRETARY. IT KIND OF REMINDS ME WHEN ALL OF MY FRIENDS
PICKED UP GENERAL. THEY SUDDENLY LOSE THEIR FIRST NAME.
I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR COMING, AND ADMINISTRATIVE JACKSON, YOU'VE GOT A TREMENDOUS
STAFF. THEY'VE DONE A TERRIFIC JOB.
I'D LIKE TO ALSO ECHO THAT. MERIBETH FROM SURGEON GENERAL, JUST BEEN REMARKABLE
IN MOVING THIS FORWARD. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A BREAK NOW.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE ALL OF YOU TO JOIN WITH ME IN THANKING EACH OF OUR PARTICIPANTS
IN COMING TODAY. [ APPLAUSE ].
WHILE WE TAKE A BREAK, THE PRINCIPALS WILL LEAVE THE STAGE.
THEY ARE ENCOURAGED TO MEET OVER HERE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE PRESS.
WE WILL BE PLAYING A VIDEO THAT ACTUALLY HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF THE HEALTHY HOMES PROGRAM NOW.
IT WILL BE FEATURED EVENTUALLY ON THE HEALTHY HOMES DOT GOV WEBSITE, WHICH WE'RE CREATING,
WILL BE GOING LIVE WITH VERY SHORTLY. AND THEN WE'LL RECONVENE IN JUST ABOUT FIVE
MINUTES OR SO, TEN MINUTES OR SO, WITH THE FEDERAL PANEL.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO STICK AROUND IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [ APPLAUSE ].
>> WHAT IS A HEALTHY HOME? >> WHEN I THINK OF A HEALTHY HOME, I THINK
OF A PLACE WHERE I CAN RELAX. >> I WAS ALWAYS WORRIED ABOUT BREATHING IN
CLEANING PRODUCTS, SO NOW I OPEN THE WINDOWS AND TURN ON THE BATHROOM FAN.
>> WE FINALLY HAD THE PLUMBER COME FIX THIS LEAKY PIPE WE'VE HAD FOREVER.
>> I ALWAYS MAKE SURE TO CLEAN THE COUNTERS AND WIPE OFF ALL THE CRUMBS.
I DON'T WANT PESTS IN MY HOUSE. >> A HEALTHY HOME IS A PLACE FOR MY FAMILY
TO FEEL SAFE. >> WE PUT CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS IN OUR
HOME. NOW WE HAVE ONE LESS THING TO WORRY ABOUT.
>> MY MOM AND I MADE A FIRE ESCAPE PLAN THAT TELLS US WHAT WE SHOULD DO IF WE HAVE A FIRE.
>> WE USED A HOME KIT TO TEST FOR RADON GAS. WE WERE SURPRISED HOW EASY IT WAS TO USE.
>> I FEEL MUCH SAFER NOW. >> WHEN MY MOM MOVED IN WITH US, I INSTALLED
HANDRAILS IN THE SHOWER SO SHE DOESN'T SLIP. >> I MAKE SURE WE HAVE STUFF FOR EMERGENCIES,
SHAMPOO, BOTTLED WATER, FLASH FLASHLIGHTS, EXTRA BATTERIES, JUST IN CASE WE HAVE A BAD
STORM. >> A HEALTHY HOME IS A PLACE WHERE WE CAN
BE CONNECTED, SPEND TIME TOGETHER. >> MATERIALS GET INTO TWO YEAR OLDS GET
INTO EVERYTHING. >> I HELPED MY DAD CHANGE THE TEMPERATURE
OF THE WATER HEATER SO MY BABY BROTHER WON'T GET BURNED BY THE HOT WATER WHEN HE TAKES
A BATH. >> YOUR HEALTHY HOME STARTS WITH YOU.
YOU CAN MAKE YOUR HOME A HEALTHY HOME. >> WHETHER YOU RENT.
>> OR OWN. >> NO MATTER WHERE.
>> NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE. >> NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE.
>> ALL RIGHT. PLEASE FIND YOUR SEATS.
THERE WE GO. DON'T FADE INTO THE BACK WHERE ALL THE KIDS
ARE. YOU'LL NEVER MAKE IT OUT.
IT IS MORE FUN. SO FOR THE SECOND PART OF OUR PROGRAM, WE
HAVE A DISTINGUISHED PANEL OF GUESTS, BOTH FEDERAL AGENCIES AND NONGOVERNMENTAL, TO REALLY
TALK ABOUT A LITTLE DEEPER DIVE ON THE STRATEGY FOR ACTION AND HOW IT IMPACTS AND RELATES
TO THE WORK THAT THEY ARE DOING, AND CERTAINLY WHAT IT MEANS TO FINALLY HAVE THE REPORT OUT.
MY NAME IS MATT AMON. I'M HUD, DEPUTY DIRECTOR IN THE OFFICE OF
HEALTHY HOMES, BUT I'M NOT A PANELIST. IT IS A LONG TIME COMING.
I FEEL LIKE IF I WERE TO HAVE A FAMILY REUNION, UNFORTUNATELY, ALL OF YOU WOULD BE INVITED,
BECAUSE WE'RE THIS REALLY BIG FAMILY, AND WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER FOR MANY, MANY YEARS,
SOME A LOT MORE THAN OTHERS, STARTING WITH LEAD.
BUT I REALLY IT HUMBLES ME, THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SUCH DISTINGUISHED STAFF AND PEOPLE
OUT THERE WHO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN OR REALLY DO NOTHING SHORT OF TRYING
TO GET A REMARKABLE THINGS DONE. THIS IS REALLY A REMARKABLE THING, THIS REPORT.
WE STARTED OUT A LONG TIME AGO, AND WE ALL FORMED THIS LITTLE WORK GROUP, AND THEN IT
BECAME BIGGER, AND THEN IT BECAME BIGGER, AND THEN WE GOT PICKED UP, PICKED UP BY THE
PRESIDENT'S TASK FORCE, AND WE'RE VERY PLEASED THAT IT WAS THE SETTINGS WAS CHOSEN AS
A CORE PIECE OF THE PRESIDENT'S TASK FORCE. AND SO WE ALL HAVE A LOT TO CELEBRATE, AND
WE'VE COME A TREMENDOUS LONG WAY FROM WHERE WE WERE FOUR YEARS AGO, BECAUSE I THINK THE
REPORT HAD BEEN CIRCULATING FOR ABOUT THREE. SO THIS REPRESENTS A REALLY SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENT,
SO I'VE BEEN REALLY PLEASED AND PROUD TO BE PART OF THAT EFFORT.
IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT ONE OF THE HEAD CHEERLEADERS, I'M ONE OF THE HEAD CHEERLEADERS.
I'LL DO MY DANCE IN A MINUTE. BUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS FIRST GIVE YOU A
LITTLE BIT OF A PERSPECTIVE. I'LL INTRODUCE THE TWO COCHAIRS FOR THE PRESIDENT'S
TASK FORCE, BUT I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AND GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE PAST COCHAIRS OF THE
PRESIDENT'S TASK FORCE ON HEALTH AND SAFETY RISKS IN CHILDREN.
NADINE, IF YOU COULD PLEASE STAND UP. [ APPLAUSE ].
IT WAS REALLY UNDER THEIR LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO KIND OF GET THINGS PACKAGED
RIGHT AND IN THE RIGHT FORM AND FINALLY GET SOME TRACTION ON A LOT OF VERY, VERY GOOD
THINGS, SO I APPRECIATE BOTH OF YOUR WORK. WE'VE ALL MOVED ON.
OF COURSE, YOU GUYS HAVE MOVED REALLY HIGH UP.
I'M STILL HERE. BUT I FEEL LIKE IN MANY WAYS A LOT OF US ARE
IN AND OUT AND ARE MAYBE RETIRING, BUT WE'RE ALL, AGAIN, REALLY BIG PART OF A GREAT FAMILY
AND A GREAT BODY OF WORK THAT WE ALL HAVE A LOT TO BE PROUD OF.
SO WITH THAT, LET ME JUST FIRST INTRODUCE THE TWO COCHAIRS OF THE PRESIDENT'S TASK FORCE.
I'LL BRIEFLY INTRODUCE THEM, AND THEN THEY WILL TALK ABOUT THE WORK, AND THEN ALSO HOW
IT RELATES TO THEIR AGENCIES. SO FIRST, I HAVE SANDRA HOWARD.
SHE IS THE SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OFFICER IN THE OFFICE OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HEALTH,
HHS AND COCHAIR OF THE SENIOR STEERING COMMITTEE AGAIN OF THE PRESIDENT'S TASK FORCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL
HEALTH RISKS AND SAFETY RISKS TO CHILDREN. TO HER LEFT IS JACQUELINE MOSBY, THE ACTING
DIRECTOR OF THE CHILDREN'S HEALTH PROTECTION, EPA AND THE SENIOR STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE
PRESIDENT'S TASK FORCE. SO FIRST LET ME START OFF WITH SANDY TO GIVE
SOME REMARKS, AND SHE CAN TURN IT OVER TO JACKIE WHO CAN FINISH THE CONVERSATION ABOUT
THE PRESIDENT'S TASK FORCE AND ALSO ITS RELEVANCY AT EPA.
>> YOU CAN SIT OR YOU CAN STAND. >> I THINK I'LL STAND.
THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ].
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. MATT, I'VE LONG WANTED TO BOTTLE YOUR ENTHUSIASM
AND SPRINKLE IT ON MY CEREAL IN THE MORNING. SO GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
THANKS, MATT, AND THANKS TO ALL MY COLLEAGUES AT HUD.
PETE ASHLEY, CHRIS AND JOHN, AND ALSO THANK YOU TO ALL MY COLLEAGUES FROM OTHER AGENCIES
THAT MAKE UP THE HEALTHY HOMES WORK GROUP. MATT IS ACTUALLY BEING SOMEWHAT MODEST IN
TALKING ABOUT HOW HARD EVERYBODY WORKED AND HOW THEY PERSEVERED ON THIS, BUT I'VE GOT
TO REMIND YOU, MAT, THAT AN AB OBSTACLE COURSE IS DESIGNED TO MAKE YOU FASTER AND MORE AGILE.
I THINK ALL OF THE WORK WILL THE PEOPLE WENT THROUGH REALLY DID PAY OFF AND NOW WE
HAVE A FINE PLAN FOR PROVIDING A HEALTHY HOME TO ALL AMERICANS.
I REALLY APPLAUD YOUR TENACITY WORK GROUP FOR ALL OF THAT.
AS MATT MENTIONED, I'M SANDRA HOWARD, I WORK FOR THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HEALTH HOWARD
COHEN, AND MY OFFICE IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM THE SURGE GENERAL STAFF.
IT MAKES IT EASY FOR ME TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OPPORTUNITES TO WORK WITH THE SURGEON GENERAL
AND HER STAFF TO ADDRESS ENVIRONMENT HEALTH. TODAY I'M REPRESENTING NOT ONLY HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES BUT THE PRESIDENT'S TASK FORCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RISKS AND SAFETY TO
CHILDREN, WHICH IS CHAIRED BY KATHLEEN SEBELIUS AND THE ADMINISTRATOR OF EPA, LISA JACKSON.
IT INCLUDES REPRESENTS REPRESENTATIVES FROM MANY FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS, SOME OF WHICH
YOU'VE HEARD FROM TODAY, HUD AND EPA AND HHS, BUT ALSO THE CONSUMER PRODUCTS SAFETY COMMISSION,
THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY,
AND THEY WERE HERE AS WELL, EDUCATION, SEQ WHO WAS LEER EARLIER, AS WELL AS OTHER OFFICES
IN THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT. THERE ARE OTHER FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS ON THE
TASK FORCE, BUT THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT CAME TO MY MIND WHILE WE WERE PUTTING THIS THIS
TOGETHER. I ALONG WITH JACKIE MOSBY FROM THE EPA'S OFFICE
COCHAIR THE SENIOR STAFF LEVEL GROUP, THE OPERATIONAL ARM OF THE TASK FORCE.
MATT BEAT ME TO THE PUNCH FOR RECOGNIZING PETER AND NADINE, BUT SIFE GOT TO DO IT AGAIN,
BECAUSE THEY REALLY LAID DOWN THE PATH FOR US.
I'M SO PLEASED THEY'RE HERE TODAY EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE NOW PERFORMING OTHER LEADERSHIP TASKS,
LOOKING AFTER OUR CHILDREN. NADINE WAS RECENTLY NAMED THE DEPUTY ASSISTANT
SECRETARY WAIT A MINUTE. NO, NO.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR MINORITY HEALTH IN THE OFFICE OF MY NORTH MINORITY HEALTH
AT HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. I'M REALLY PROUD ABOUT.
THAT I KNOW SHE'LL BE LOOKING AT AFTER CHILDREN AS WELL AS ADULTS.
AND PETE SER CERRO OWE PETER IS LOOKING OUT AFTER OUR DRINKING WATER.
THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TODAY AND SUPPORTING US.
I KNOW IT'S GOOD TO SEE THE FRUIT BLUME BLOOM TODAY.
AS WAS MENTIONED BY MANY OTHER SPEAKERS, THE STRATEGY FOR ACTION HAS ITS ORIGINS IN THE
SURGEON GENERAL'S CALL FOR ACTION, BUT IT ALSO HAS ITS ROOTS IN THE PRESIDENT'S TASK
FORCE AND IT'S JUST A CASE OF GOOD IDEAS CONVERGING. THE TASK FORCE WAS FIRST LAUNCH IN THE 1990'S
BY THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION AND REINVIGORATED BY PRESIDENT OBAMA EARLY IN HIS FIRST ADMINISTRATION
AS HE WAS MAKING ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, HEALTH DISPARITIES AND CHILDREN'S HEALTH KEY PRIORITIES.
WHEN WE FIRST BEGAN MEETING IN 2010, THREE PRIORITY ACTIONS WERE QUICKLY IDENTIFIED AND
WORKING GROUPS WE ARE FORMED TO ADDRESS THEM. THEY WERE HEALTHING SETTINGS, WHICH WE ARE
HERE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, ASTHMA DISPARITIES, A LAUNCH IN MAY AND NOW IMPLEMENTING, AND
CHEMICAL EXPOSURES, WHICH WE ARE WORKING ON, INCLUDING ISSUES RELATED TO LEAD.
HEALTHY HOMES AND SETTINGS WAS AN OBVIOUS CHOICE FOR PRIORITY ACTION, BECAUSE ENVIRONMENTAL
QUALITY IS A KEY DETERMINATE OF HEALTH. HEALTH IS AFFECTED NOT ONLY BY THE HEALTH
CARE WE RECEIVE BUT ALSO BY THE ENVIRONMENT, INCLUDE THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT.
AND ALTHOUGH THE GOAL OF THE STRATEGY FOR ACTION IS INSURE SAFE HOUSING FOR EVERYONE,
CHILDREN ARE A PARTICULAR FOCUS, BECAUSE THEY BEAR SO MUCH OF THE BURDEN OF UNSAFE AND UNHEALTHY
HOUSING, AND THE SURGEON GENERAL AND SOME OF THE OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE ALREADY PROVIDED
SOME EXAMPLES, SUCH AS FALLS AND ASTHMA AND LEAD BASED PAINT, SO I WON'T GO INTO THAT
AGAIN. BUT EVERY CHILD SHOULD BE IN AN ENVIRONMENT
THAT PROTECTS AND PROMOTES THEIR HEALTH. CHILDREN SPEND MOST OF THEIR TIME INDOORS,
WHERE THEY LIVE, LEARN AND PLAY. I'M REALLY GLAD TO SEE THAT WE HAVE CHILDREN
IN THE BACKDROP HERE, EVEN THOUGH THEY MIGHT NOT REALLY BE SPEAKING WITH THEIR INDOOR VOICE,
BUT IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THEM HERE TODAY TO REMIND US OF WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND CHAIR SUITLY ALSO NOTED AND ADMINISTRATOR JACKSON THAT MINORITY CHILDREN AND CHILDREN
IN LOW INCOME FAMILIES DISPROPORTIONATELY LIVE IN DID HE LAB DATED HOUSING CONDITIONS
DILAPIDATED HOUSING CONDITIONS, HEATING, PLUMBING AND ELECTRICAL DEFICIENCIES.
INDIVIDUALS IN THESE CONDITIONS MAY DID HE DISPROPORTIONATELY EXPOSED TO HAZARDS, SUCH
AS LEAD AND OTHER HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS. WE KNOW THE HEALTH OUTCOMES AND DISPARITIES
THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS, SUCH AS ASTHMA, ASTHMA PREVALENCE IS TWICE AS GREAT IN HISPANIC
CHILDREN AND HISPANIC BLACK CHILDREN THAN IT IS IN WHITE CHILDREN.
ADDRESSING THESE ENVIRONMENTALLY ASSOCIATED DISPARITIES IS A MATTER OF ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL
INJUSTICES. AT HHS, I LEAD THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DEPARTMENT
WIDE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE STRATEGY AND THE WORK OF THE PRESIDENT'S TASK FORCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL
HEALTH RISKS AND SAFETY RISKS FOR CHILDREN, ALIGNED WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE STRATEGY.
WITHIN HHS, CDC IS THE LEAD AGENCY FOR CARRYING OUT THE ACTIONS AND THE STRATEGIES FOR ACTION
FOR HEALTHY HOUSING, AND DR.PORTAEY IS HERE, AND WE'LL HEAR FROM HIM LATER, BUT I
WANT TO SHOW YOU HHS A FULLY ENGAGED AND ALIGNS WITH OTHER PRIORITY ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING
IMPLEMENTING THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT WITH ITS EMPHASIS ON PREVENTION.
IT ALSO ALIGNS HEALTHY PEOPLE 20/20, OUR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR PUBLIC HEALTH, AND THE HHS ACTION
PLAN TO REDUCE RACIAL AND ETHNIC HEALTH DISPARITIES IN THE NATIONAL STAKEHOLDER'S STRATEGY FOR
ACHIEVING HEALTH EQUITY. WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT COORDINATING WITHIN
THE GOVERNMENT, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT, BUT IT'S CRITICAL NOW TO REACH OUT TO OUR
STAKEHOLDERS AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL AS WELL AS TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO HELP US
FURTHER DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENT THIS STRATEGY. I INVITE YOU TO JOIN US, GIVE US YOUR THOUGHTS
AND IDEAS, PRO AND CON, AND HELP US ACHIEVE OUR VISION OF HEALTHY HOUSING FOR ALL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION, AND I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER NOW TO MY COCHAIR, JACKIE
MOSBY. THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]. >> WELL, GOOD MORNING.
AND THANK YOU. THANKS TO ALL OF MY PANELISTS AND COLLEAGUES
HERE. I WANT TO JUST TALK TO YOU AND SAY THAT IT
IS MY PLEASURE TODAY TO DISCUSS THE LANDMARK STRATEGY, THE PRODUCT OF THE PRESIDENT'S TASK
FORCE. THIS THAT I ALSO COCHAIR WITH SANDRA HOWARD,
AND I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH ABOUT PETER, WHO SERVED AS THE COCHAIR AND WAS INSTRUMENTAL, I BELIEVE.
AS SAN EXTRA SAID, THE TASK IS NOT DRA SANDRA SAID, PETER WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN REVITALIZING
THE TASK FORCE AND IDENTIFYING KEY PRIORITIES, ASTHMA, CHEMICAL SAFETY AND PLAY SPACE HOLISTIC
APPROACH TO ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARDS FOR CHILDREN WHERE THEY LIVE,
LEARN AND PLAY. AND THIS STRATEGY, THIS INITIATIVE, THIS HEALTHY
HOMES INITIATIVE, FALLS OUT OF THAT PRIORITY. ONE OF THE PRODUCTS, AND I'M NOT SURE IF THIS
HAS ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED, BUT THE FIRST PRODUCT OF THE PRESIDENT'S TASK FORCE WAS
A FEDERAL ACTION PLAN TO REDUCE RACIAL AND ETHNIC ASTHMA DISPARITIES, AND THAT WAS RELEASED
JUST IN MAY OF 2012. SO KUDOS FOR THAT.
WE'VE DONE A LOT WITH THIS TASK FORCE, AND I'M DELIGHTED TO BE A PART OF THIS TEAM NEW
TO THE POSITION AS ACTING DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF CHILDREN'S HEALTH PROTECTION, BUT I AM
DELIGHTED TO BE PART OF THE TEAM GATHERED HERETO ANNOUNCE THE SECOND PRODUCT OF THE
PRESIDENT'S TASK FORCE, A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY TO PROMOTE HEALTHY HOMES. THE HEALTHY HOMES
STRATEGY PROVIDES A BLUEPRINT FOR COORDINATED FEDERAL ACTION.
IT OUTLINES KEY GOALS AND PRIORITIES THAT WILL SHAPE THE WORK OF THE FEDERAL AGENCIES
THAT HAVE PARTNERED THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS STRATEGY FOR YEARS
TO COME. AND I AM ESPECIALLY PLEASED THAT, LIKE THE
ASTHMA ACTION PLAN, THE HEALTHY HOMES STRATEGY ADDRESSES THE NEEDS OF UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES
WHERE HOUSING HAZARDS TEND TO BE MORE PRONOUNCED AND CHILDREN ARE AT DISPROPORTIONATE RISK
ASTHMA, 7MILLION CHILDREN SUFFER FROM ASTHMA. THAT YIELDS 2MILLION ER VISITS A YEAR,
AND IS EQUIVALENT TO 10.5MILLION MISSED DAYS OF SCHOOL.
WHILE WE'VE MADE PROGRESS, WE STILL HAVE SOME WAYS TO GO.
GENETICS CAN PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE AND MANY ADVERSE HEALTH OUTCOMES.
AND SOME CONDITIONS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH SPECIFIC GENES.
HOWEVER MOST OUTCOMES HAVE COMPLEX AND MULTIPLE CONTRIBUTORS RATHER THAN ANY ONE CLEAR CAUSE
AND LIKELY RESULT FROM A COMBINATION OF GENETICS, BIOLOGICAL, PSYCHOSOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL
RISK FACTORS. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HEALTHY HOMES INITIATIVE
FOR CHILDREN IS THAT REDUCING ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES THAT CAN POTENTIALLY LEAD TO ADVERSE
HEALTH OUTCOMES IS A GOAL THAT WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER USING THE FRAMEWORK IN THIS
INITIATIVE. AT THE EPA OFFICE OF CHILDREN'S HEALTH PROTECTION,
WE PLAY A COORDINATING ROLE IN EPA'S ACTIVITIES TO ADVANCE THE HEALTHY HOLMES GENERAL TODAY.
AS AN AGENCY OF 17,000 PROFESSIONALS WITH OFFICES IN DC AND 10 REGIONAL OFFICES ACROSS
THE U.S., WE BRING MUCH TO THE TABLE, INCLUDING A LEAD ROLE IN REGULATORY AND ENFORCEMENT
ACTIVITIES FOR ISSUES INCLUDING LEAD BASED PAINT, ASBESTOS, FORMALDEHYDE, PESTICIDE AND
DRINKING WATER, JUST TO NAME A FEW. WE ARE LEAD AND TECHNICAL EXPERTISE INCLUDING
STATE OF THE ART PROTOCOL FOR ASSISTING EXPOSURE RISKS.
WE PROVIDE LEADERSHIP IN PROMOTING VOLUNTARY PROGRAMS, INCLUDING ENERGY STAR, WATER WISE,
INDOOR AIR PLUS AND MANY OTHERS, AND E PEVMENT A HAS LONG STANDING PARTNERSHIPS WITH KEY
STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN THE HEALTHY HOMES ACTIVITIES AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS.
WE COLLECTIVELY ARE ABLE TO FURTHER ADVANCE THE HEALTHY HOLMES GENERAL TODAY FAR MORE
EFFECTIVELY THAN WE COULD DO ALONE. NOW THAT WE HAVE MAPPED OUT FEDERAL ROLES
IN ADVANCING THE HEALTHY HOLMES GENERAL TODAY FOR THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS, WE LOOK
FORWARD TO ENGAGING MORE BROADLY WITH OUR NONFEDERAL STAKEHOLDERS, ADVOCACY GROUPS,
PHILANTHROPIES, NONGOVERNMENT, LOCAL AGENCIES, WHO CAN JOIN IN THIS INITIATIVE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH MANY OF YOU IN THE YEARS TO COME, AND I THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US IN THE LAUNCH OF THIS EXCITING NEW INITIATIVE.
I JUST THANK THE WORK GROUP. A LOT OF WORK HAS GONE INTO IT AND MANY YEARS
MENTIONED TO DEVELOP THIS STRATEGY AND IT IS AN EXCITING DAY, AND I AM GLAD TO BE A
PART OF IT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. WE'RE JUST KIND OF GOING DOWN THE LIST.
WHILE WE'RE ON EPA, I DID WANT TO THANK ONE PERSON EPA WHO IS RETIRING, KATHY CYCLE.
I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF HER HELP ON THIS REPORT AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, SHE IS
KNOWN AS THE IPM QUEEN, IF ANYBODY DIDN'T KNOW.
THAT SHE WILL ALWAYS HAVE THAT TITLE. NOBODY CAN TAKE THAT CROWN.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO HUD. WE'LL HAVE TWO PEOPLE SPEAK.
ONE, JOHN GANT, THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF HEALTHY HOMES AND THE BEST BOSS ANYONE
CAN EVER ASK FOR. THOMAS GOAD TO HIS LEFT, HE'S IN THE TECHNICAL
SUPPORT DIVISION, OFFICE OF HEALTH OWE HOME HEALTHY HOME HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AT HUD.
>> GOOD MORNING. I'M JUST GOING TO STAY HERE.
WE'VE GOT THESE MICROPHONES HERE. ARE WE ARE THEY WORK SOMETHING CAN YOU
HEAR ME NOW OVER ALL THE KIDS IN THE BACK? WELL, MAYBE NOT.
IS IT WORKING? OKAY.
THIS ONE SEEMS TO BE WORKING. IS IT WORKING?
HERE WE GO. YOU HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOU HEARD
A LITTLE BIT FROM ME THIS MORNING. WHAT I WANT TO DO IS EXPAND VERY BRIEFLY AND
TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART AND YOURS TOO, I'M SURE.
WE HAVE A REAL OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW. THIS STRATEGY FOR ACTION AS EVERYONE HAS MENTIONED
WAS A LONG TIME COMING. IT WAS A LABOR OF LOVE.
THE SECRETARY ACTUALLY MENTIONED SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR DRAFTING
IT, AND MANY OF THEM ARE HERE. MATT AND WARREN AND PETER AND ERIC AND CHRIS,
I WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, VERY MUCH FOR HELPING WITH THIS.
WE WOULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT THE LEADERSHIP OF SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED
PREVIOUSLY. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE BOTH MY COCHAIRS HERE
FOR CHAIRING THE PRESIDENTIAL TASK FORCE AND ENSURING THAT WE DON'T LOSE SIGHT OF WHAT
WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE HERE, AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO THANK BOTH NADINE AND PETER FOR
YOUR LEADERSHIP UP TO THIS POINT AND WISH YOU NOTHING BUT THE BEST GOING FORWARD IN
YOUR NEW POSITIONS. I'M SURE YOU WILL BE EQUALLY SUCCESSFUL, IF
NOT MORE SO. SO WHERE ARE WE?
THE STRATEGY FOR ACTION RIGHT NOW, I WAS ASKED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT HUD CAN DO,
AND THEN I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MY GOOD FRIEND TOM, AND HE CAN TAKE CREDIT FOR WHY
WE'RE HERE TODAY, AND THAT'S THE NEW RADON POLICY.
WHEN MY SECRETARY CAME IN, HE IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZED THAT HOUSING AND HEALTH ARE INTERRELATED.
WE LOOKED AROUND, AND IT WAS AT THAT TIME THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY WAS FLUSH WITH
CASH, AND THEY HAD THEIR WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM THAT WAS JUST TAKING OFF.
SO ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS CAME TOGETHER AT ONE TIME, AND WE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT?
WE OUGHT TO BE WORKING MORE COLLABORATIVELY TO INSURE THAT WE'VE GOT THAT WE'RE MORE
FLEXIBLE, THAT WE'VE GOT ACCESS TO DIFFERENT FUNDING STREAMS FOR THE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY
OUR GRANTEES AND ADVOCACY GROUPS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR THIS FUNDING, AND THAT WE COME
UP WITH THE OVERARCHING GOALS FROM A FEDERAL PERSPECTIVE, AND THEN WE HAVE TO TAKE THAT
PERSPECTIVE BACK AND SELL IT TO OUR AGENCIES, WHICH ISN'T NECESSARILY THE EASIEST THING
TO DO SOMETIMES. IN MANY AGENCIES, YOU'RE YOU'RE YOU'VE
GOT DIFFERENT FOCUSES ALONG THE WAY, SO OUR CHALLENGE WAS TO TAKE IT BACK TO HUD AND SAY,
ALL RIGHT, HOW CAN WE SOMEHOW IMPACT HEALTH USING OUR HOUSING RESOURCES AND FUNDING?
AND THEN CAPTURE THOSE IN SOME FASHION? SO WHAT I'VE DONE, WITHIN HUD, IS TO GO BACK
TO ALL OF OUR OFFICES, INCLUDING THE OFFICE OF HOUSING, THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC HOUSING,
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND ALL THE OTHER OFFICES AND CHALLENGE THEM, SAY, HOW CAN YOU IDENTIFY
WAYS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE HEALTH THROUGH YOUR PROGRAMS AND THEN CAPTURE THOSE AND BE MORE
COST EFFICIENT IN THE LONG RUN. SO WHAT ARE SOME REAL EXAMPLES OF THAT.
WE WENT BACK TO PUBLIC HOUSING. WE SAID, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC HOUSING, YOU DO
A TERRIFIC JOB. YOU'VE GOT 10,000 PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE HOUSING
OUT THERE, MOST OF WHICH ARE EITHER CHILDREN OR ELDERLY, AND MANY OF THEM BEING EXPOSED
TO SECONDHAND SMOKE. MANY OF THEM YOU DON'T HAVE NO SMOKING
POLICIES IN PLACE IN MOST OF YOUR PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITIES.
CAN YOU HELP US WITH THAT? AND THE EVIDENCE IS THERE.
THE SURGEON GENERAL REFERRED TO IT A LITTLE BIT.
THE EVIDENCE IS THERE THAT IF WE FOCUS ON REDUCING SMOKING IN PUBLIC HOUSING, THIS SENDS
A VERY, VERY SIGNIFICANT MESSAGE TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, NOT SO SAY YOU KNOW, IT'S
JUST GOOD PUBLIC POLICY. NOW, YOU RUN INTO A LITTLE BIT YOU RUN
INTO A CHALLENGE, BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, RIGHT?
THIS IS WHERE PEOPLE LIVE. SO WE HAVE TO PROMOTE.
WE HAVE TO ENCOURAGE. WE NEED THE PARTNERSHIP OF CDC TO COME IN
AND PROVIDE AND HHS TO PROVIDE SOME OF THE CESSATION SERVICES, AND ALL OF THIS KIND
OF COMES TOGETHER. WE'VE GOT CDC ALSO DOING THE COST BENEFIT
ANALYSIS FOR US, BECAUSE IF YOU CAN SHOW THAT BY NOT SMOKING YOU'RE SAVING A LOT OF MONEY
ON THE BACK END, ON THE MEDICAL COSTS, THEN PEOPLE SIT UP AND LISTEN.
SO WE'VE GOT SMOKE FREE. WE'VE GOT WEATHERIZATION, AS I INDICATED,
AND THAT BECAME CRITICAL, BECAUSE I COULDN'T BE MORE GRATEFUL OF BOB ADAMS AND JENNIFER
AND JULIE AND RYAN, THIS WHOLE TEAM THAT CAME TOGETHER AND INSTANTLY GOT IT.
HOW CAN WE JOIN FORCES AND COLLABORATIVELY COME UP WITH A SINGLE ASSESSMENT, JOINT TRAINING,
BETTER JOBS FOR OUR PEOPLE IF THEY CAN DO BOTH, AND WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO YOU'VE GOT THE WEATHERIZATION. YOU'VE GOT SMOKE FREE.
WE'VE GOT ANOTHER INITIATIVE CALLED THE GREEN AND HEALTHY HOMES INITIATIVE.
IT'S A PROCESS WHERE WE WENT INTO SEVERAL CITIES AND WE SAID, HOW CAN WE WORK TOGETHER
BOTH FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, AND THE FOUNDATIONS, TO CUT THROUGH RED TAPE, BECOME MORE FLEXIBLE,
HAVE A SINGLE SOURCE OF INCOME VALIDATION AND DO BETTER ON THE LONG RUN?
BE MORE EFFECTIVE ON THE LONG RUN? WE'VE GOT THAT GOING RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE GOT ANOTHER PILOT THAT'S GOING ON IN CLEVELAND RIGHT NOW, AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IN GENERAL TERMS. WE'RE TRYING TO CONVINCE HHS AND CMS TO PAY
FOR AN INTERVENTION. IF YOU CAN SHOW THAT THIS CHILD THAT'S BEEN
SUFFERING FROM ASTHMA IS LIVING IN A HOME THAT'S GOT MOLD AND MILDEW AND THAT'S CAUSING
THE ASTHMA, WHAT'S MORE EFFECTIVE, GOING IN AND ACTUALLY FIXING THE HOUSE, AND THEN YOU
DON'T HAVE THAT CONTINUAL STREAM CONTINUAL COST OF THE MEDICAL SIDE OF THE HOUSE DOWNSTREAM.
IS IT BETTER FOR THE CHILD? OF COURSE, IT IS.
IS IT BETTER FOR THE PARENTS? YES, IT IS.
IS IT BETTER FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAN THOSE THAT ARE PROVIDING THE FUNDING?
LONG TERM, IT IS. SO WE'VE GOT A PILOT GOING IN IN CLEVELAND
RIGHT NOW THAT HHS IS SUPPORTING US ON WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY SENDING PEOPLE INTO THE HOME.
WE'RE WRITING A PRESCRIPTION. THIS PARTICULAR CHILD IS SUFFERING FROM ASTHMA.
THE DOCTOR THAT'S TREATING GOES INTO THE HOME AND DETERMINES WHAT'S CAUSING IT, AND THEN
WE GO BACK AND TRY AND FIX IT UP FRONT. WE'VE GOT WITH EPA, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF
DIFFERENT INTERRELATIONSHIPS WITH EPA, BUT I'M VERY, VERY PLEASED ABOUT RADON, BECAUSE
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ANNOUNCING HERE TODAY. WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY.
JACKIE HAS BEEN LEADING THEIR LEAD PROGRAM FOR MANY YEARS, AND YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THAT.
BUT RADON, AND THEN I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO TOM TO TALK ABOUT IT.
RADON IS WHERE WE'RE HEADED RIGHT NOW. IT WAS EPA THAT TOOK THE LEADERSHIP ON THE
FEDERAL RADON PLAN, MIKE AND GINA MCCARTHY, HIS BOSS, DAVE AND BILL LONG AND OTHERS HAVE
SAID, THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN.
EPA DOESN'T CONTROL A LOT OF THE HOUSING WITHIN HUD, BUT THROUGH THEIR PERSISTENT EFFORTS,
THEY SAID, CAN YOU HELP US WITH THIS? AND THEN I'M VERY, VERY HAPPY TO INTRODUCE
OR HAVE TOM FOLLOW ME, BECAUSE TOM INSTANTLY GOT IT.
IT'S NOT EASY GETTING SOME OF THESE THINGS THROUGH BUREAUCRACY.
WE ALL KNOW THAT. BUT TO RECOGNIZE THAT UP FRONT AND TO TAKE
THE STEPS TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY TO ANNOUNCE THIS RADON POLICY, I'M VERY, VERY PLEASED,
AND AT THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO TOM. >> THANKS A LOT, JOHN.
MULTIFAMILY IS VERY HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THIS ENDEAVOR, AND I'D BE REMISS THERE
ARE MANY PEOPLE IN THE MULTIFAMILY PRODUCTION STAFF THAT WORKED ON THIS, BUT ERIC AXELROD
FOR ONE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER FOR MULTIFAMILY, AND HE'S SEATED OUT THERE TODAY, WAS INSTRUMENTAL
IN MOVING THIS FORWARD. SO THANKS A LOT TO ERIC AXELROD.
IN DEVELOPING OUR POLICY, MULTIFAMILY HAS TRIED TO DEVELOP ONE IN A MANNER THAT WILL
IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF HOUSING FOR THE RESIDENTS, BUT STILL NOT PUTTING EXCESSIVE
DEMANDS IN TERMS OF DEVELOPING A NEW PRODUCT AND HOUSING THAT NEEDED HOUSING WITHIN
THE MARKETPLACE. HUD'S TESTING PROTOCOL DOES FOLLOW THAT ESTABLISHED
BY THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF RADON SCIENTISTS AND TECHNOLOGISTS AND THEIR PROTOCOL FOR INSPECTIONS
AND MEASURING, PRODUCTS WITHIN MULTIFAMILY BUILDINGS.
HAVING SAID THAT, THERE ARE PROBABLY THREE AREAS WHERE WE WILL NOT REQUIRE WE WANT
AN OBSERVATION WHETHER OR NOT RADON IS APPARENT OR NOT OR PRESENT OR NOT, BUT THERE ARE THREE
INSTANCES THAT WE DON'T REQUIRE A FULL RADON REPORT BE MADE, AND THAT'S IF THE PHYSICAL
INSPECTION OF THE PROPERTY, AS I MENTIONED, THE BUILDING DOES NOT HAVE THE CHARACTERISTICS
OF EXHIBITING RADON WITHIN THE BASEMENT OR FIRST STORY LEVELS.
SECOND CRITERIA IN OUR INSURANCE PROGRAM WHERE WE'RE REFINANCING AN EXISTING PROPERTY UNDER
OUR 223 F PROGRAM, AGAIN, IF THE INSPECTION REVEALS THERE IS A LOW RADON RISK, WE DON'T
REQUIRE TO GO FOR FURTHER TESTING, AND THE THIRD MEASURE IS WHERE WE'RE REFINANCING EXISTING
INVENTORY IN THE HUD INVENTORY UNDER THE 223 A PROGRAM WHERE THEY'RE REFINANCING THE PROGRAM
TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE LOWER INTEREST RATES. TESTING IS NOT REQUIRED, BUT WE DO REQUIRE
THAT IN ALL INSTANCES THAT WE ESTABLISH THAT THERE IS A LOW LEVEL OF RISK BEFORE WE MOVE
ON TO ANY OTHER ENDEAVORS IN TERMS OF INSURES INSURING THAT PROPERTY.
AGAIN, IT WAS MENTIONED THAT WE WORKED WITH EPA IN TERMS OF COMING UP WITH OUR POLICY,
AND WE HAVE USED THE MEASUREMENT OF FOUR PICO CARIES PER LITER, AND AGAIN, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THE COOPERATION OF EPA IN DETERMINING THE LEVELS WHICH WE SHOULD REQUIRE OUR TESTING
IN OUR INVENTORY OF PROPERTIES AND OUR FUTURE INSURED PROPERTIES.
AS MENTIONED THIS MORNING BY MARLENE, THE CHIEF FELT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT IN TERMS
OF MOVING FORWARD IN THE HUD INSURED PROGRAMS THAT RESIDENTS OF THESE PROPERTIES BE NOTIFIED
THAT TESTING WILL BE HAVING AT THE PROPERTIES, AND THAT IS INCLUDED ALSO IN OUR GUIDANCE.
BY THE WAY, OUR RADON POLICY, WHICH AS ERIC INFORMED ME THIS MORNING, IS NOW AVAILABLE
ONLINE, AND I THINK YOU CAN PICK UP COPIES AT THE FRONT DESK, BUT IF NOT, YOU CAN FIND
IT. THE MORTGAGEE LETTER IS 201307 AND THE HUD
NOTICE IS 201303, AND THEY SHOULD BE POSTED IN HUD CLIPS TODAY.
BUT WE DO REQUIRE THAT RESIDENTS BE NOTIFIED THAT WE WILL BE TESTING THEIR PROPERTY.
WE REQUIRE THAT THEY BE NOTIFIED PRIOR TO TESTING, AND ALSO WE REQUIRE THAT THEY BE
NOTIFIED OF THE RESULTS OF THAT TESTING AND THAT IF MITIGATION IS GOING TO OCCUR THAT
WE MAKE ARRANGEMENTS AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, ALSO.
WE ALSO REQUIRE THAT ALL THOSE BE PROVIDED THE TEST TESTING FOR OUR MORTGAGE INSURANCE
PROGRAM BE PERFORMED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A RADON PROFESSIONAL CERTIFIED AND LICENSED
FROM EITHER THE NATIONAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION OR THE NATIONAL RADON SAFETY BOARD, AND IF
THE STATES IN WHICH THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED REQUIRES THAT THE RADON SPECIALIST BE LICENSED,
WE REQUIRE THAT THEY ALSO BE LICENSED. OUR POLICY WILL BE IN EFFECT FOR FIRM COMMITMENT
APPLICATION AND PREAPPLICATION PACKAGE FOR MORTGAGE INSURANCE AFTER JUNE THE FOURTH.
THAT IS 120 DAYS FROM TODAY, IN ORDER TO GIVE THE INDUSTRY TIME TO PREPARE FOR IMPLEMENTING
THE NEW GUIDANCE. AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU CAN
FIND THE MORTGAGEE LETTER AT THE FRONT DESK, A COPY OF THAT.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO ONLINE TO HUD CLIPS, AGAIN, IT'S A AT 201303 FOR THE HOUSING NOTICE AND
201307 FOR THE MORTGAGEE LETTER. >> THANK YOU, TOM.
WILL YOU BE AVAILABLE TO AUTOGRAPH THOSE LATER? >> I CERTAINLY WILL.
>> WILL YOU AUTOGRAPH THEM, TOO, RIGHT THERE? ERIC USED TO WORK IN THE OFFICE OF NOT HEALTHY
HOMES. BACK THEN IT WAS OFFICE OF LED BASED PAINT,
POISONING PREVENTION AND POLLUTION SOMETHING. WARREN KNOWS.
I CAN'T REMEMBER IT WAS SO LONG AGO. BUT ANYWAY, GREAT.
YOU GUYS WILL BE ABLE TO AUTOGRAPH THEM. I'M SURE YOU'LL HAVE A LOT OF SIG.ERS TO.
>> SIGNATORIES. THANK YOU.
HUD. WE'LL BE MOVING FORWARD WITH EPA AGAIN.
WE HAVE MIKE FLINT, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF RADIATION AND INDOOR AIR FROM
EPA. >> MIKE.
>> THANKS, MATT. I'M GOING TO FOLLOW JOHN'S LEAD AS ALWAYS
AND STAY UP HERE AT THE TABLE HERE. I'M REALLY DELIGHTED.
THIS IS AN EXCITING DAY, FOLKS. THIS IS REALLY AN EXCITING DAY FOR A LOT OF
WORK THAT'S GONE INTO. I KNOW THE HEALTHY HOMES STRATEGY HAS BEEN
IN THE WORKS FOR A LONG TIME, AND FOLKS HAVE REALLY WORKED *** ALL THE EFFORTS, THE
MULTIFAMILY POLICY, THE RADON WORKS, SO I WANT TO ECHO WHAT ADMINISTRATOR JACKSON SAID
AT THE BEGINNING, TO CONGRATULATE AND THANK ALL OF YOU WHO ARE HERE WHO HAVE HELPED ADVANCE
ALL OF THESE EFFORTS. IT'S REALLY A TREMENDOUS DAY AS MOVING FORWARD
ON ALL OF THESE EFFORTS. I ALSO WANT TO SORT OF ACKNOWLEDGE OUR CHAIRS
IN BOTH SANDRA AND JACKIE, OUR CURRENT CHAIRS, AND NADINE AND PETER WHO TOOK THIS AT THE
EARLY STAGES ON THE HEALTHY HOUSING STRATEGY. ALSO, I HAVE TO SAY TO OUR LEADER HERE IN
JOHN GANT AND MATT AND THANK THEM FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP IN ORCHESTRATING TODAY'S EVENT.
I HAVE TO SAY IT WAS A MASTERFUL TO HAVE ALL OF THESE CHILDREN HERE, JOHN, THAT YOU INVITED.
>> WHAT, CAN'T HEAR YOU? >> THAT'S RIGHT.
IT'S GREAT. I'M ALSO IMPRESSED THAT WE HAVEN'T LOST POWER
YET. THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.
AND I'M SURE YOU PROBABLY DID THIS FOR A SMALLER BUDGET THAN LAST NIGHT'S AFFAIR.
WELL, AS JOHN MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING, ONE OF THE MOST THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY
TO ADDRESS OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS IN HOUSING IS TO TAKE A HOLE LIS TICK HOLISTIC APPROACH,
ONE LOOKING AT MULTIPLE EXPOSURES AND EFFICIENCIES OF THE WHOLE HOME.
WE AT EPA HAVE BEEN TAKING THAT APPROACH IN LOOKING AT INDOOR AIR QUALITY AND TARGETING
OUR EFFORTS ON AREAS WHERE WE THINK ARE THE MOST CRITICAL AND THOSE AREAS THAT WE KNOW
THAT WILL IMPACT UNDESERVED UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS.
ONE OF THOSE AREAS WHICH WE ARE HIGHLIGHTING TODAY IS RADON WHERE, AS WE HAVE HEARD TODAY,
AND WE ALL KNOW THE RISK IS HIGH, BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THE RISK REDUCTION AND TECHNIQUES
WE'RE DEALING WITH ARE KNOWN AND SIMPLE AND THEY DO ACHIEVE HIGH RISK REDUCTION.
AND I THINK THIS MORNING WE HEARD PROBABLY THE MOST EFFECTIVE ACCOUNT OF THIS.
MARLENE, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TRIP HERE.
NONE OF US CAN SPEAK TO THIS ISSUE ANY BETTER THAN YOU AND FOLKS FROM CANCER WHO HAVE HAD
REAL LIFE IMPACTS FROM THE HORRORS OF RADON EXPOSURE.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THE WORK THAT YOUR GROUP DOES.
IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND MAKES FOR US, WHO DO OUR WORK REALLY, IT BRINGS MEANING TO THAT,
SO THANK YOU. AND AS YOU HEARD, WE ARE HERE SPECIFICALLY
IN ONE OF THE AREAS IN THE HEALTHY HOLMES REASON A HEALTHY HOMES ARENA, TO TALK ABOUT,
RADON, A CRITICAL HEALTH ISSUE AND ONE OF THE CONCERNS WE HAVE WITH HOMES, BUT WE STILL
HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO. WE'VE HEARD A NUMBER OF NUMBERS THIS MORNING,
BUT WE'VE BEEN EFFECTIVE IN DEALING WITH AND MITIGATING APPROXIMATELY A MILLION HOMES ACROSS
THE UNITED STATES, BUT THERE ARE 7MILLION HOMES STILL WITH HIGH RADON THAT HAVE NOT
YET BEEN MITIGATED. THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE FOR US.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT IS STILL AT THIS POINT IN TIME THAT MOST PEOPLE OR MANY, MANY PEOPLE
STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW DANGEROUS RADON IS.
88% LISTEN TO THAT. 88% OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT EXPOSURE
TO RADON CAN CAUSE LUNG CANCER. THAT IS AN ALARMING NUMBER.
THAT IS A REAL COMMUNICATION AND EDUCATION ISSUE, AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, YOU HAVE MANY
LOW INCOME BUT ALSO MIDDLE INCOME FOLKS WHO EITHER DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO IT OR
ELECT NOT TO TAKE THE STEP TO PAY FOR A RADON MITIGATION WITHOUT FINANCIAL SUPPORT.
SO WE HAVE SOME CHALLENGES, SIGNIFICANT ISSUES, BUT WE HAVE A WAY TO DEAL WITH THIS.
I WANT TO APPLAUD HUD AND TOM FOR THE WORK ON THE MULTIFAMILY POLICY.
THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD. IT WILL DRIVE ACTION IN THIS IMPORTANT SECTOR
OF THE HOUSING ARENA. IT IS GOING TO BE A CATALYST FOR WORK IN MAKING
IMPORTANT STEPS, SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOU FOR PUSHING THAT THROUGH.
ALSO I WANTED TO JUST THANK ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES AND THE OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES FOR YOUR WORK
ON REDUCING RADON AS PART OF THE RADON ACTION PLAN, THE FEDERAL RADON ACTION PLAN, WHICH
WAS INITIATED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE HEALTHY HOMES, HEALTHY HOUSING STRATEGY FOR ACTION.
THIS EFFORT, I THINK, HAS SHOWN THAT EACH OF US WORKING TOGETHER CAN MAKE A SIGNIFICANT
IMPACT, BRINGING OUR RESOURCES TOGETHER, WHILE EACH OF US ARE CHALLENGED, BUT WHEN WE BRING
THEM TOGETHER, WE REALLY CAN MAKE A BIG IMPACT. AND IN THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORT THAT WE'RE
RELEASING TODAY ON THE ACTION PLAN, YOU WILL SEE THAT IN JUST A YEAR AND A HALF, COLLECTIVELY
THE FEDERAL AGENCIES HAVE COMPLETED MORE THAN HALF OF THE COMMITMENTS WE HAVE MADE IN THAT
ACTION PLAN. THAT IS TREMENDOUS FROM IT'S STANDPOINT OF
MOVING OUR AGENCIES AND TAKING ACTION. SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THAT COLLECTIVELY.
THE NET IMPACT OF THAT IS THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO TOUCH AND REACH OVER 800,000 HOUSING
UNITS. THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD.
AND IN ADDITION TO THE WORK THAT WE'RE ACKNOWLEDGING TODAY ON HUD, OTHER AGENCIES HAVE DONE SOME
SIGNIFICANT EFFORTS IN THE RADON ARENA. OUR COLLEAGUES AT DEO THROUGH THE WEATHERIZATION
D DO. E DOE THROUGH THE WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM
HAVE DONE A NUMBER OF THINGS INCLUDING RADON AND OVER THE LAST YEAR HAVE TRAINED OVER 650
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS. AGAIN, ANOTHER GREAT EXAMPLE OF LEVERAGING
A PROGRAM TO HELP DEAL WITH A HEALTH ISSUE. HHS HAS RECORDED THAT 27 OF THEIR STATES HAVE
INCLUDED RADON IN THEIR STATE CANCER PROGRAMS, AGAIN, ANOTHER IMPORTANT STEP FURTHER.
WE AT EPA ARE WORKING *** RAY RADON, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT
WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT, JUST LAST WEEK, WE HAVE INVESTED IN SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT
OF FOUR NEW STANDARDS OF PRACTICES FOR FIXING A RADON AND MULTIFAMILY HOUSING, AND WE'RE
EXCITED TO REPORT THAT JUST LAST WEEK THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF RADON SCIENTISTS AND
TECHNOLOGISTS ANNOYED THE APPROVAL AND RELEASE AFTER NEW STANDARD FOR RADON MITIGATION.
THIS GOES HAND IN HAND WITH THE HUD POLICY ON THE NEW POLICY FOR MULTIFAMILY UNITS FOR
ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD AND GIVE THE NUTS AND BOLTS ON HOW WE WOULD ACTUALLY DO THAT
KIND OF MITIGATION. THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENT AND A
NICE WAY OF THESE THINGS COMING TOGETHER. SO I APPLAUD THEM WORKING VERY HARD.
EPA HAS A NUMBER OF EFFORTS GOING ON IN THE HEALTHY HOUSING ARENA. JACKIE REFERRED TO
A NUMBER OF THOSE. I JUST WANT TO UNDERSCORE ONE OF THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT AREAS IS ASTHMA, WHERE WE'RE WORKING VERY HARD TO DEAL WITH ASTHMA WITH HUD AND
HHS. BUT THE THEME THAT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE IS
THAT THIS ISSUE REQUIRES ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER.
I THINK WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL, AND I REALLY APPLAUD YOU THAT SORT OF COME TOGETHER.
IT REQUIRES FOLKS FROM ACROSS NOT JUST THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, PRIVATE SECTOR, NTO'S.
I KNOW REBECCA IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE WORK THEY'RE DOING.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THE WORK SO FAR AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUED SUCCESS AS WE
CAN IMPROVE HEALTHY HOUSING AND HELP FOR THE KIDS IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM AND AROUND US.
SO I WILL TURN IT BACK TO MATT. >> THANKS.
OUR NEXT MEMBER AGENCY REPRESENTATIVE IS ANNA GARCIA.
SHE'S A PROGRAM MANAGER OF THE WEATHERIZATION AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM,
OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY AT DOE.
>> THANK YOU, MATT. I HOPE THIS IS LOUD ENOUGH.
THANKS. I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE BEING ABLE TO BE HERE
TODAY. WE AT DOE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK
WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS IN THE AREA OF HEALTHY HOMES, HUD, HHS AND OTHERS TO DEVELOP A MORE
COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR IMPROVING THE NATION'S HOUSING STOCK AND ESPECIALLY
FOR THOSE WHO OCCUPY HOMES, FAMILIES WHO OCCUPY HOMES WHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD SUCH IMPROVEMENT
WHICH THE WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANT PROGRAM OR WAP, AS MOST FOLKS KNOW IT AS, IS THE LARGEST
ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM IN THE COUNTRY. OUR NETWORK INCLUDES 59 STATES AND TERRITORIES,
OVER 1,000 LOCAL SERVICE PROVIDERS, MORE THAN 2,000 PRIVATE CONTRACTORS AND BETWEEN 7,000
AND 8,000 STAFF. I REALLY WANT TO EXTEND MY VERY WARMEST CONGRATULATIONS
TO CARL FOR THE REPRESENTATION HE MAKES FOR THE FOLKS THAT ARE OUT THERE IN THE FIELD
DOING THIS WORK. THEY'RE AN AMAZINGLY DEDICATED GROUP, AND
I THINK THE MARRIAGE OF THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND HEALTH ISSUE IS JUST SOMETHING THAT THEY
WILL ALL EMBRACE AND TAKE ON WITH GREAT ENTHUSIASM AND DEDICATION.
THIS NETWORK PROVIDES WEATHERIZATION TO TENS OF THOUSANDS OF LOW INCOME FAMILIES EACH YEAR.
THESE FAMILIES RECEIVE THE DIRECT BENEFIT OF THESE INVESTMENTS THROUGH REDUCED ENERGY
USE, LOWER ENERGY BILLS, MORE EXPENDABLE INCOME TO HELP IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THEIR LIVES
AND A HEALTHIER AND SAFER ENVIRONMENT TO LIVE IN AND RAISE THEIR CHILDREN.
WAP IS A NATIONAL LEADER WHICH HELPS TO INSURE THE SAFETY OF FAMILIES WE SERVE.
COMBUSTION SAFETY TESTING, STRESS PRESSURE TESTING, LEAD SAFE AND INDOOR AIR QUALITY
IMPROVEMENTS ARE EMBEDDED IN THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS.
AS THE INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO GROW AND MATURE, THE EXAMPLES SET CAN BECOME THE STANDARD OF
THIS BLOSSOMING INDUSTRY. AS THE STRANLY REPORT INDICATES, I'D STRATEGY
REPORT INDICATES, IDENTIFYING HEALTHY ELEMENTS OF THE HOME IS AN INVOLVED PROCESS, HOWEVER
THERE ARE MANY AGREED UPON ELEMENTS, AND THE WAP ALREADY PERFORMS SEVERAL ASSESSMENTS AND
PROTOCOLS THROUGH ENERGY AUDITS, TIGHTENING INSURING PROPER VENTILATION AND APPLYING WORKFORCE
BEST PRACTICES AND SAFE MATERIALS. MANY FAMILIES SERVED AS YOU HAVE HEARD TODAY
ARE FAR BELOW THE NATIONAL POVERTY LEVEL, JUST OVER 23,000 FOR A A FAMILY OF FOUR.
IN MANY CASE, THE INTERVENTION MAY BE THE ONLY TIME A PROFESSIONAL IS ABLE TO VISIT
THE HOME AND MAKE AN ASSESSMENT OF ITS CONDITIONS. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THESE STAFF HAVE THE SKILLS,
KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES TO ASSESS BOTH THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY NEEDS OF THE HOME AND THE
HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE ENVIRONMENT. WEATHERIZATION PLUS HEALTH IS THE WAP INITIATIVE
THAT BLENDS HEALTHY HOME SERVICES WITH ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT TO ADDRESS A MORE COMPREHENSIVE
NEED. IT MAKES BOTH OPERATIONAL AND ECONOMIC SENSE
FOR THE WAP TO CAPITALIZE ON CONTACT WITH HOMEOWNERS TO EXPANDS THE SCOPE OF WORK BEING
DELIVERED THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS.
THROUGH THE WEATHERIZATION PLUS HEALTH INITIATIVE, WE'RE ENABLING OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS TO COORDINATE
RESOURCES FOR ENERGY, HEALTH AND SAFETY IN LOW INCOME HOMES CREATING A SYNERGY BETWEEN
THESE EFFORTS TO BETTER SERVE THESE FAMILIES. WHILE THERE'S MORE WE CAN DO, THE WAP IN ITS
CURRENT FORM IN MANY WAYS IS ADDRESSING THE GOALS OUTLINED IN STRATEGIC PLAN.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE WAP IS ALREADY COMMITTED TO INTEGRATING HEALTHY HOMES ACTIVITIES IN
ALIGNMENT WITH GOALS ONE AND TWO INTO ITS DAILY OPERATIONS.
MANY OF THE AUDITING AND SERVICE DELIVERY PROTOCOLS INCLUDE HEALTH AND SAFETY COMPONENTS.
WAP IS ALREADY A LEADER IN ADVANCING GOAL 3 ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
WORKFORCE GUIDELINES, TRAINING CURRICULA, SUPPORT AND TRAINING CIRCULATION SCHEMES HAVE
BEEN DEVELOPED THIS YEAR TO HELP OBTAIN THIS GOAL WITHIN A FEW YEARS.
REGARDING GOAL FOUR, FOCUS ON EDUCATION, THE WAP DISTRIBUTES INFORMATION ON EDUCATION,
LEAD PAINT, RADON AND OTHER POLLUTANTS AS PART OF ITS SERVICE DELIVERY.
THE ENERGY AUDITOR AND QUALITY CONTROL INSPECTOR ARE TRAINED TO IMPART KNOWLEDGE ABOUT MEASURES
INSTALLED AND OTHER ISSUES IN THE HOME THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE ADDRESSED BY THE WORK PERFORMED.
THIS EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT CAN BE EXPANDED TO INCORPORATE NEW MATERIALS OFFERED BY THE
PARTNERS WHO ARE RELEVANT. FINALLY, IN THE AREA OF RESEARCH IN GOAL 5,
THE WAP WILL COLLECT VALUABLE INFORMATION AND INSIGHTS INTO THE ISSUES SURROUNDING HEALTH
AND SAFETY IN HOMES AS PART OF THE MANY STATE AND LOCAL STUDIES ON THE NATIONAL WAP EVALUATION.
THIS INFORMATION CAN BE SHARED WITH OUR PARTNERS TO BE USED TO SUPPORT THEIR RESEARCH INTO
SPECIFIC HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS. AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HAD THIS TREMENDOUS
INVESTMENT INTO WEATHERIZATION UNDER THE RECOVERY ACT, WHICH DID INCORPTD MANY INCORPORATE
MANY OF THESE HEALTHY HOMES PRINCIPLES. WE ARE LOOKING TO REALLY GLEAN MANY LESSONS
OUT OF THE WORK WE'VE DONE WITH THAT SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT AS WE WORK THROUGH THIS EVALUATION
THAT I THINK COULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE MULTIAGENCY EFFORT.
I ALSO WANT TO EMPHASIZE HOW CRITICAL THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ASPECT IS TO THE ACHIEVEMENT
OF GOALS AND ADDRESSING OF KEY ELEMENTS THAT MAKE FOR HEALTHY HOMES.
BUILDING A WORKFORCE FOR TRAINED PROFESSION ALWAYS IS PROFESSIONALS IS THE CORE OF
THE STRATEGY. PROFESSIONALS MUST BE PROPERLY TRAINED TO
ENSURE THEIR WORK INTRODUCES THE INTENDED RESULT.
THE PLAN INCLUDES LEVERAGING EXISTING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS, GUIDELINES WHICH DEFINES
WORK QUALITY AND COMPETENCIES FOR THE INDUSTRY. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT AREA WHERE DOE IS CURRENTLY
MAKING A SPECIFIC CONTRIBUTION TO THE GOALS OF THE HEALTHY HOME STRATEGY.
THE WAP BRINGS A WEALTH OF RESOURCES TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF HEALTHY HOMES, PRODUCING FOUNDATIONAL
PRODUCTS SUPPORTING WORK QUALITY, TRAINING EFFECTIVENESS AND WORKFORCE CERTIFICATION.
THESE ARE UNDERPINNED BY A NETWORK OF TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT LEAD THE NATION IN THE WORKFORCE,
INTEGRAL IS WAP'S COMMITMENT TO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF CLIENTS THROUGH MANDATORY SAFETY
INSPECTIONS AND SAFEGUARDS. THE WAP HAS THE ABILITY TO TAKE THE BEST IDEAS
AND TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE IN THE INDUSTRY AND WORK TOGETHER WITH OUR PARTNERS TO MAKE THEM
WORK ON A NATIONAL LEVEL SO THAT ADVANCES IN THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND HEALTHY HOME
INDUSTRY CAN GROW TO MARKET SCALE. IT IS THIS ABILITY THAT MAKES THE WAP THE
RIGHT PLACE TO DEVELOP WORK SPECIFICATIONS AND TRAINING CERTIFICATIONS.
NO OTHER SINGLE ORGANIZATION CONTAINS THE VOLUME OF CONTINUING WORK AND EXPERIENCE THAT
THE WAP PROVIDES FOR THIS EFFORT AND CAN HELP TO COORDINATE WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS.
IN CLOSING, I JUST WANT TO SAY RETROFITTING AMERICA'S HOME FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY, HEALTH
AND ENVIRONMENTAL WELL BEING AND TO ACHIEVE ITS GREAT POTENTIAL AS A LARGE ECONOMIC GROWTH
SECTOR IS HIGHLIGHTED AS A NATIONAL PRIORITY BY THE WHITE HOUSE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL
PRIORITY AND VICE PRESIDENT'S MIDDLE CLASS TASK FORCE.
IN ORDER TO SUPPORT A NATIONAL RETRO FIT INDUSTRY WITH BROAD REACH, THE WHITE HOUSE AND DOE
IDENTIFIED THE NEED FOR QUALITY TRAINING, STANDARDIZATION OF WORK CERTIFICATION AND
THE CONSISTENT DELIVERY OF HIGH QUALITY ENERGY UPGRADES.
DOE WILL CONTINUE TO ALIGN THESE PRIORITIES TO INTEGRATE INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES THAT MAKE
HOMES HEALTHIER AND SAFER IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR STATE, FEDERAL AND LOCAL PARTNERS,
AND I JUST WANT TO ALSO EXTEND MY GREAT THANKS TO BOB ADAMS AND JEN SUMMERS AND ALL OF THE
WORK THAT THEY HAVE PUT IN TO HELP MAKE THE STRATEGY THAT WE'RE ANNOUNCING TODAY A GREAT
SUCCESS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ANNA. >> I THINK IF WE WAIT ANOTHER 15 MINUTES,
IT MAY BE NAPTIME BACK THERE, IF WE COULD HOLD OUT.
I HAVE THREE KIDS OF MY OWN, AND THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I CALL HOME, AND I SAY, MARIA,
HOW MANY KIDS DO VERY WITH OVER THERE? SHE'S LIKE, JUST THREE.
THEY'RE ALL YOURS. IT WAS OVER A KARAOKE MACHINE, AND I COULD
HEAR THEM OUTSIDE ON THE KARAOKE MACHINE. THEY ALL THINK THEY CAN SING.
BUT ANYWAY, I'M A VERY SUPPORTIVE DAD. SO OUR NEXT PANELIST IS FROM CDC.
HUD AND CDC HAVE HAD A VERY, VERY LONG TERM RELATIONSHIP, AND A LOT OF THE FOUNDATIONAL
WORK ON LEAD PAINT WAS REALLY ATTRIBUTED TO THE CDC AND HUD AND IT'S PART OF REALLY OUR
FOUNDATION OF WHY WE'RE HERE FROM THE EARLY WORK FROM DR.DAVID JACOBS AND DR.MARY
JEAN BROWN, RIGHT THERE, THAT'S REALLY HELPED US BUILD THIS FOUNDATION OF FOCUSING ON A
GOAL, GETTING AGENCIES TO WORK TOGETHER FOR A COMMON CAUSE.
I THINK THAT REALLY HELPED US TREMENDOUSLY IN SHAPING HOW WE DID THIS DOCUMENT AND WHY
WE ARE SO EXCITED ABOUT MOVING FORWARD COLLECTIVELY IN ACCOMPLISHING THIS, AND I FEEL LIKE WE'RE
JUST RIDING THAT WAVE NOW WHERE PEOPLE ARE UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AND
THE MORE WE GET INTO THE SYSTEMS AND THE POLICY AND THE BUDGETS, I THINK WE'LL BE WE'LL
HAVE A LOT OF SUCCESS STORIES, MUCH MORE WE HAVE SUCCESS STORIES NOW, BUT CERTAINLY
IN THE NEXT 5 TO 10 YEARS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SAY A LOT MORE, SO I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT
IT. THAT'S WHY DR.CHRISTOPHER, THE DIRECTOR
OF THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AGENCY FOR TOXIC SUBSTANCES AND DISEASE REGISTRY
AT THE CDC, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE HIM, AND IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU AND WORK
WITH YOU. >> THANKS A LOT.
GOOD, MONTH GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. YOU KNOW, THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST
PARTS OF MY JOB, IS SITTING IN ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND LOOKING AT THE LAUNCH OF SOMETHING
THAT I KNOW IS GOING TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF AMERICANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
I'M DELIGHTED TO BE HERE TODAY FOR THE RELEASE OF THIS STRATEGY.
LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, I WANT TO THANK AND CONGRATULATE ALL OF THE FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WHO WORKED VERY
HARD TO PUT THIS STRATEGY TOGETHER TO MAKE HEALTHY HOUSING A REALITY FOR EVERYONE IN
THIS COUNTRY. I ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUE, DR.MARY
JEAN BROWN. FOR YEARS AND YEARS, WHO HAS BEEN ADVOCATING
THESE TYPES OF APPROACHES AND HELPING TO SAVE CHILDREN AROUND THE NATION.
[ APPLAUSE ]. CDC IS VERY GLAD TO BE A PARTNER IN EXEE CAUGHTING
THIS STRATEGY FOR ACTION. OUR CONTRIBUTIONS INCLUDE TRAINING, COLLECTING
DATA ON DISEASE SURVEILLANCE IN PARTNERSHIPS WITH FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL AGENCIES AS
LONG AS NONGOVERNMENTAL PARTNERS. THROUGH THESE, WE HELP TO PROVIDE THE EVIDENCE
BASE FOR IMPROVING HEALTH BY IMPROVING HOUSING. LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL AGENCIES AND NONGOVERNMENTAL
ORGANIZATIONS, LIKE THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTHY HOUSING, LIKE THE COALITION THE
GREEN AND HEALTHY HOUSING INITIATIVE OR THE CHILDREN'S ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH NETWORK, ALL
OF THESE GROUPS REPRESENTED HERE TODAY WORK WITH CDC TO INSURE THAT WE CONSIDER HEALTH
WHEN WE ADDRESS THE NATION'S HOUSING NEEDS. THESE CLUB RAGES HAVE EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY
IDENTIFIED AND REDUCED HEALTH HAZARDS IN HOUSING. TOGETHER, WE ARE USING AVAILABLE SCIENTIFIC
EVIDENCE TO INSURE THAT EFFECTIVE INTERVENTIONS ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED.
ALSO, WE WANT TO INSURE THAT INTERVENTIONS WHICH ARE FOUND TO BE INFECTIVE OR EVEN HARMFUL
WILL NOT BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE COUNTRY'S HOUSING. CDC HAS WORKED WITH MANY WHICH YOU TO DEVELOP
PLANS FOR VOLUNTARY SMOKE FREE RULES FOR PUBLIC HOUSING, FOR QUANTIFYING THE IMPLEMENTATION
COST AND HEALTH AND OTHER BENEFITS OF SUCH RULES.
THIS STUDY THAT WE'RE UNDERTAKING WILL ALSO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO HELP PROPERTY MANAGERS
IDENTIFY AND NAVIGATE FLEW THE THROUGH THE BARRIERS OF ADOPTING SMOKE FREE POLICIES
IN MULTIFAMILY HOUSING. CDC AND LUD HUD DEVELOPED A MODULE OF HEALTHY
HOME QUESTIONS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE SURVEY. DATA FROM THIS SURVEY WILL PROVIDE POPULATION
BASED ESTIMATES OF THE PREVALENCE OF UNHEALTHY HOUSING RELATED CONDITIONS AND DRIVE THE ESTABLISHMENT
OF PRIORITIES. WE ARE ALSO WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH HUD
AND EPA TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE MOST COMMON ADVERSE EXPOSURES TO CHEMICALS FOUND IN THE
HOME. CDC WILL BUILD ON THESE SUCCESSES IN THE COMING
YEARS AND WORK TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE'S HEALTH IS REFLECTED IN THE NATION'S HOUSING STRATEGIES.
WE WILL CONTINUE OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE LEAD PAINT TASK FORCE AND THE INNER AGENCY
HEALTHY HOMES WORK GROUP. IN ADDITION, WE ARE COMMITTED TO WORKING COLLABORATIVELY
WITH ALL OF YOU TO ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING OUTCOMES. A 10% REDUCTION OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS IN
THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN EXPOSED TO SECONDHAND SMOKE AT HOME, CONTINUING TO PROVIDE INFORMATION
TO LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL AGENCIES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS ON THE GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION
OF UNHEALTHY HOUSING, A REDUCTION INTO THE DISPARITIES AND BLOOD LEAD LEVELS OF CHILDREN
BY RACE, ETHNICITY AND INCOME, A 10% REDUCTION OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS OF VISIBLE MOLD IN
HOMES WHERE CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA LIVE. AND AN INVESTIGATION OF THE HEALTH BENEFITS
OF THE ENERGY EFFICIENT OR GREENHOUSING RENOVATION IN PUBLICLY OWNED HOUSING THROUGH SUPPORT
FROM OUR GOOD COLLEAGUES AT HUD AND EPA. CDC IS COMMITTING TO PROTECTING PEOPLE, SAVING
LIVES AND REDUCING HEALTH CARE COSTS. I WANT TO DEVIATE A LITTLE BIT FROM MY REMARKS
HERE, BECAUSE AS I WAS SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE LISTENING TO OTHERS THIS MORNING, I THOUGHT,
DO WE REALLY KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS TO THE NATION? WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IF WE ACTUALLY SUCCEED
AT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE? AND SO I WROTE MYSELF A LITTLE BIT OF A LIST.
ALL CHILDREN IN THE UNITED STATES THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE A CHILD IN THE UNITED STATES
WITH A BLOOD LEAD LEVEL HIGHER THAN ONE MICRO GRAM PER BLOOD DECILITER.
RADON WOULD NO LONGER CAUSE LUNG CANCER. NO ONE WOULD DIE FROM CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING
IN THE UNITED STATES. ASTHMA HOSPITALIZATION, ASTHMA TRIGGERS WOULD
DROP DRAMATICALLY. WE WOULD SAVE ON HEALTH CARE COSTS TREMENDOUSLY
IN THIS COUNTRY. NO LONGER WOULD WE HAVE HOUSING WITH PESTS
RUNNING AROUND, COCKROACHES, MICE, THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES.
AND TO CONTROL THEM, WE WOULDN'T BE POISONING OUR ENVIRONMENT.
WE WOULD USE OTHER MEANS TO GET THEM OUT OF OUR HOMES.
NO ONE IN A HOME IN THE UNITED STATES WOULD DIE FROM A FIRE OR SMOKE INHALATION.
WE WOULDN'T SEE HOMES WITH MOLD ON THE WALLS OR MOLD BEHIND THE WALLS THAT YOU COULDN'T
FIND. AND FINALLY, THE NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM FALLS
IN THE UNITED STATES WOULD DROP DRAMATICALLY AND NO CHILD WOULD BE EXPOSED TO TOBACCO SMOKE
IN THEIR HOME. [ APPLAUSE ].
HEALTHY HOUSING PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE TO PREVENTING DISEASE, AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO MAKING HEALTHY
HOUSING IN THIS NATION AS HEALTHY AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[ APPLAUSE ]. >> I KNOW REBECCA DOESN'T NEED AN INTRODUCTION,
BUT I WAS MAKING SURE THAT MIC WORKED FOR WHEN WE DO QUESTIONS.
I WAS ACTUALLY WORKING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
A VERY IMPASSIONED SPEECH, AND YOU BROUGHT UP VERY, VERY GOOD POINTS ABOUT THE RELEVANCY
OF INCORPORATING OTHERS AND PARTNERING WITH OTHERS BEYOND THE GROUP OF FEDS THAT WE HAVE
HERE. SO THIS IS WHAT MAKES IT ALL SUCCESSFUL AND
MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING OUTSIDE OF WHAT WE DO IN BRINGING OTHERS FROM THE OUTSIDE
TO BOTH VALIDATE WHAT WE'RE DOING, PROVIDE SUPPORT, PROVIDE GROUND TRUTHING, AND QUITE
FRANKLY DO A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE ACTUALLY CAN'T DO AND IT PROVIDES A LOT OF VALUE AND
WE GREATLY APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORTS THAT OUR NONPROFITS, OUR NGO'S DO FOR US, AND SO
IT'S MY HONOR TO INTRODUCE REBECCA MORALLY, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL CENTER
FOR HEALTHING HOUSING. [ APPLAUSE ].
>> THANK YOU. I KNOW YOU ALL PANICKED WHEN YOU SAW THE NUMBER
OF CARDS UP HERE. YOU WERE THINKING THIS IS GOING TO BE LONGER
THAN A CATHOLIC WEDDING, AND IT HAS BEEN, BUT SOMEONE IS MARRIED SOMEWHERE.
BUT REALLY I THINK THIS SPEAKS TO THE NUMBER OF AGENCIES AND THE COMMITMENT OF AGENCIES.
THE ENTIRE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT'S GETTING BEHIND OUR HEALTHY HOUSING MOVEMENT, AND IT'S
SO NEEDED, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW, AND WE JUST REALLY THANK YOU.
I THANK ALL OF OUR NGO PARTNERS, AND I SEE MANY OF THEM IN THE AUDIENCE.
WE'D JUST LIKE TO EXTEND OUR THANKS AND GRATITUDE FOR WHAT I KNOW WAS A LOT OF WORK.
I JOKE WITH MATT SOMETIMES THAT I WAS ABLE TO CONCEIVE, CARRY AND DELIVER A BABY IN THE
TIME THAT YOU GUYS WERE WORKING ON A STRATEGY, AND SO I KNOW GIVING BIRTH TO THIS WAS ALSO
PROBABLY EQUALLY AS PAINFUL. SO CONGRATULATIONS.
I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT OUR WORK. I WANT TO ILLUSTRATE OUR WORK THROUGH STORIES
OF TWO PEOPLE THAT I'VE COME TO KNOW AND REALLY KIND OF WHAT ENERGIZES ME IN THE WAY ADMINISTRATOR
JACKSON WAS SAYING ABOUT HEARING THE STORIES, TALKING WITH THEM.
FIRST, I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT MRS.IRMA TAYLOR, BORN IN WASHINGTON D.C., GREW UP IN
ARLINGTON COUNTY, THE MOTHER OF TWO, MOTHER AND GREAT GRANDMOTHER OF 14.
YOU'VE GOT THIS IN YOUR FUTURE, I THINK, MATT. SHE WAS A CAREGIVER FOR 15 YEARS AND VISITING
NURSE FOR 13. BUT HER HOME FELL INTO DISREPAIR AFTER HER
HUSBAND PASSED AWAY FOUR YEARS AGO, AND HER HOME WAS REALLY A PERFECT CANDIDATE FOR WHAT'S
KNOWN AS OUR HEALTHY HOUSING CHALLENGE. SHE HAD RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS OF HER OWN.
ONE WHICH HER GREAT GRANDCHILDREN HAD ASTHMA, AND AGAIN, SHE JUST HAD CRITICAL REPAIRS THAT
NEEDED TO BE DONE. SO WITH OUR PARTNER REBUILDING TOGETHER IN
THE SPRING OF 2012, WE STARTED 10 CRITICAL REPAIRS TO HER HOME, CARBON MONOXIDE ALARMS,
DEALING WITH HER SYSTEMS. WE TORE UP THE OLD CARPET THAT WAS DEFINITELY
A SOURCE OF ASTHMA TRIGGERS, DEALT WITH SOME INJURY HAZARDS, INSTALLED SMOKE ALARMS, ELECTRICAL
WORK AND MANY OTHER UPGRADES. YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THESE UPGRADES IF YOU
GO TO YOUTUBE, KEY WORD, HEALTHY HOUSING CHALLENGE. YOU CAN SEE THE COST AND HOW HER CARRIED OUT.
BUT MRS.TAYLOR MOST IMPORTANTLY REPORTS THAT HER GRANDSON'S ASTHMA IS BETTER.
HE'S MORE ACTIVE. HE WHEEZES LESS, JUST PLAIN BREATHES BETTER.
I ALSO WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT MANSLAUGHTER GARLINDA JOINER, LIVES INWARD A OF WASHINGTON,
D.C. I FIRST MET HER IN 2008 THROUGH A PROJECT.
AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, WARD 8 HAS OVER THE YEARS BECOME CONCENTRATED WITH WASHINGTON'S
LOW INCOME RESIDENTS, THOSE WITH NOWHERE ELSE TO GO FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IT ALSO BECAME ONE OF THE CITY'S CRIME HOT SPOTS.
THIS INVESTMENT PROBABLY DOESN'T DESCRIBE THE CONDITIONS OF MANY WARD 8 NEIGHBORHOODS.
GROWING ABANDONMENT MIGHT BE MORE APPROPRIATE. WHEN I MET HER SHE WAS AT TEN OWE THE PRESIDENT
WHO COALESCED WITH OTHER TENANTS, ORGANIZED AND PURCHASED THE PROPERTY.
THEY BECAME OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY AND HIRED COMMUNITY PRESERVATION DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
TO DO THE REDEVELOPMENT, AND THEY WANTED IT DONE GREEN AND HEALTHY.
SHE WAS HIGHLY MOTIVATED. SHE'S ALSO THE MOTHER OF TWO, GRANDMOTHER
TO 7 AND GREAT GRANDMOTHER TO 1. SHE PROVIDED CARE IN HER HOME FOR A COUPLE
OF HER GRANDCHILDREN, ONE OF WHICH HAD VERY SEVERE ASTHMA, AND SHE WAS CERTAIN IT WAS
WORSENED BY HER HOUSING CONDITIONS. BUT THE REHAB OF WHEELER TERRACE IS NOW COMPLETE,
AND THE CHAIN LINK FENCES HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH ELEGANT ROD IRON.
THE WALKWAYS HAVE BEEN REDESIGNED TO INCREASE VIRL APPEAL, CURVING WALKWAYS DOTTED WITH
BENCHES, AND RESIDENTS LOOK FORWARD TO THE SPRING FRAGRANCE AND BLOOM OF THE CHERRY BLOSSOM
TREES AS THEY PLANT VEGETABLES IN THEIR COMMUNITY GARDEN, AND OUR STUDIES SHOWED SIGNIFICANT
HEALTH IMPROVEMENTS FOR BOTH THE CHILDREN AND ADULTS FOLLOWING THIS RENOVATION.
SO REALLY ADVANCING HEALTHY HOUSING, THE STRATEGY FOR ACTION, IT SEEKS TO MULTIPLY STORIES LIKE
THESE AND MAKE THEM A REALITY FOR MILLIONS WHICH AMERICANS.
NEXT WEEK, THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTHY HOUSING WILL CELEBRATE ITS 20th YEAR OF KEEPING
KIDS SAFE AND HEALTHY IN THEIR HOMES BY CONVENING A NATIONAL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE.
I'M REALLY THRILLED THAT OUR ADVOCATES, FUNDERS, POLICY MAKERS, EVERYONE WILL HAVE THIS DOCUMENT
IN THEIR HANDS, ESPECIALLY AS WE MARCH UP TO CAPITOL HILL TO TELL POLICY MAKERS ABOUT
OUR AGENDA. SPEAKING OF CAPITOL HILL, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
SENATOR JACK REED FOR HIS OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP ON HEALTHY HOUSING AND CHILDHOOD LEAD POISONING.
KATE IS HERE TODAY FROM HIS OFFICE. [ APPLAUSE ].
I THINK IN BOSTON, THEY CALLED HER WICKED SHE REALLY UNDERSTAND THESE ISSUES.
JUST KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN FROM REALLY HIGH IMPACT INITIATIVES COMING OUT OF HIS OFFICE.
SO I INVITE YOU TO COME TO THE CONFERENCE, LEARN ABOUT PRACTICAL EVIDENCE AND EXPERIENCED
BASED SOLUTIONS FOR ADVANCING HEALTHY HOUSING. YOU CAN ALSO HEAR THESE STORIES STRAIGHT FROM
MRS.JOINER AND MS.TAYLOR BECAUSE THEY'LL BE THERE ACTUALLY IN PERSON, AND WE REALLY
NEED TO START TELLING THESE STORIES TO CONVEY THE MESSAGE NOT JUST THE HEAD PART OF IT,
THE NUMBERS AND THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW THAT WORK, BUT THE HEART PART OF IT, AND I'M SO
GLAD THAT THERE WERE SO MANY PERSONAL STORIES HERE TODAY, AND I THANK THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO PUT THEMSELVES OUT THERE AS PERSONAL ADVOCATES FOR THIS WORK.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN TO MATT AND TO THE ENTIRE FEDERAL TEAM FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING WORK ON
THIS REPORT. THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]. >> THANK YOU, REBECCA.
TO ALL OF OUR PANELISTS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [ APPLAUSE ].
NOW WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TIME IT IS.
>> 11:25. WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE OUT OF HERE ON THE 11:30.
GOOD. WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME FOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
MAYBE ONE. THERE IS A MICROPHONE TO MY RIGHT, AND PLEASE
YOU MAY ASK OF ANY PANELIST. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND WHERE YOU'RE FROM.
>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JOE BARDEN.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MARGO COMMUNITY CORPORATION, A WEATHERIZATION SUB GRANTEE
OUT IN FAR ROCKAWAY QUEENS IN NEW YORK CITY. I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS HIGH LEVEL OF
INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION COORDINATION. THE HUD DOE PARTNERSHIP UNDER THE AURA ENVIRONMENT
AS PROBABLY EVERYBODY KNOWS ALLOWED US IN NEW YORK STATE TO WEATHERIZE SOMETHING LIKE
70,000 UNITS UNDER AURA AND UNDER OUR BASE CONTRACT, ANOTHER 30, SO 100,000, WHICH WAS
INCREDIBLE, AND THAT WAS DUE IN LARGE PART TO THE HUD DOE PARTNERSHIP.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK, REBECCA, WHO I HAVE NEVER MET, BUT FOR SENDING OUT TO NEIGHBOR
WORKS OF AMERICA SOME VERY HIGHLY SPECIALIZED TRAINERS TO HELP US IN FAR ROCKAWAY TO DEAL
WITH THE AFTERMATH OF SUPERSTORM SEANDZ SANDY, ESPECIALLY WITH FLOODWATER MOLD MITIGATION
EFFORTS. I'M ALSO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF THE
WE DO TRAINING, BUT ESPECIALLY FOR THE WAP AND HEALTHY HOMES PROFESSIONALS AND WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. MY LARGEST CONCERN TODAY, THOUGH, WE'VE BEEN
WORKING ON THIS HEALTHY HOMES IDEA FOR A LONG TIME.
IN THE CURRENT FUNDING OF OUR ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'RE WALKING INTO FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL
YEAR AND PERHAPS EVEN FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR UNDER WAP, I'M KIND OF WONDERING AS A LOCAL
SUB GRANTEE HOW I'M SUPPOSED TO GET THIS DONE, AND I'M ALSO WONDERING WHAT DOE MAY BE THINKING
ABOUT IN REGARDS TO THE ALLOWANCES FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURES AS OPPOSED TO OUR SAVINGS
TO INVESTMENT RATIOS AND OUR ENERGY SAVINGS. I KNOW HOW DIFFICULT THAT IS AND WHAT A TOUGH
QUESTION THAT, IS BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH TODAY, AND IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT OR AN ANSWER,
I'D APPRECIATE THAT. >> I DON'T THINK I HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU.
YOB OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A BIG QUESTION AS WE COME OFF OF THIS UNPRECEDENTED INVESTMENT,
AND WE'VE LEARNED A LOT OF LESSONS, AND WE'VE CERTAINLY LEARNED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF
THE HEALTH COMPONENT. WE'RE LOOKING AT A VERY DIFFERENT BUDGET SITUATION,
AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO ADOPT TO THAT AS WELL AS WE CAN.
WE NEED TO FIRST FIND OUT WHAT OUR 2013 BUDGET IS.
THEN WE NEED TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN LEVERAGE THAT BUDGET TO ITS MAXIMUM ABILITY GIVEN THE
SITUATION THAT WE HAVE TO ALSO INCLUDE THE HEALTH WORK.
I THINK WE'VE MADE TREMENDOUS STRIDES, SOME OF WHICH WILL JUST NOT GO AWAY.
WE'RE HAPPY THAT WE HAVE A DEDICATED STAPH STAFF ACROSS THE NATION WORKING TO FIND OUT
ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS AND BE ABLE TO BRING EXPERTISE INTO THEM.
WE WILL CERTAINLY KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WE LOOK AT WHAT THE ALLOCATIONS WILL BE AND HOW
TO LOOK AT WHAT PROPORTION OF RESOURCES CAN GO TO THE HEALTHY PIECE.
THEY DO REALLY GO HAND IN HAND, AND WE AREN'T LOOKING AT DOING ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER.
I THINK THE MAIN QUESTION IS HOW CAN WE IN THIS DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT THAT THE BEST USE
OF WHAT WE HAVE. WE MAY HAVE TO DO FEWER UNITS.
THAT IS DEFINITELY GOING TO BE A SITUATION GIVEN THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE SAME
SET OF RESOURCES THAT WE HAD UNDER THE RECOVERY ACT, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE VERY SMART
ABOUT HOW WE HANDLE WHAT WE GET. WE'RE ALSO LOOKING, AS I MENTIONED IN MY REMARKS,
TO TRY AND GROW THIS INDUSTRY TO A MORE PRIVATELY ORIENTED MODEL, AND AS THAT HAPPENS, I THINK
THERE WILL BE GREATER AND GREATER OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THE HEALTHY HOMES PIECE INTO IT IN
A MUCH MORE SCALED UP WAY. I'M SORRY I DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC ANSWER FOR
YOU TODAY. IT IS A HUGE PROBLEM, AND WE ARE DEFINITELY
WORKING ON IT, AND WE'RE CERTAINLY LOOKING TO WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS HERE TO HELP
US THE BEST WAY TO CONTINUE TO INTEGRATE THIS IMPORTANT WORK WILL BE GOING FORWARD.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AGAIN, I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD, THIS MOMENT HAS
ALREADY ADVANCED OUR CAUSE. WE WERE ABLE TO DO A SPECIAL CONTRACT UNDER
THE CURRENT CONTRACT WITH MONEY FROM THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO DO OUR LITTLE
LEAD SAFE TRAINING AND PRE AND POST TESTINGS AND THINGS LIKE.
THAT SO IT'S ALREADY HAVING SOME MOVEMENT AND BRINGING SOME EXTRA LEVERAGING COORDINATION
THAT WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENT.
LET ME JUST ADD SOMETHING TO THAT, AND I THINK THAT WILL PROBABLY GO A LONG WAY.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES HAS BEEN, WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO CONVINCE CONGRESS TO SUPPORT HEALTHY
HOMES, THEY'VE LOOKED FOR THE STRATEGY. THEY'VE SAID, OKAY, GIVE US THE STRATEGY,
AND WE'LL CONSIDER GOING FORWARD AND GIVING YOU MORE SUPPORT.
THE FACT THAT SENATOR REED AND KATE IS HERE, SHE CAN TELL YOU ABOUT THIS.
WE HAVE THE STRATEGY NOW. WE'RE GOING TO BE ADVOCATING NOW, AND THIS
GIVES US THE CHANCE TO BE MORE FLEXIBLE, TO BE TO KIND OF BRING DIFFERENT RESOURCES
TOGETHER WHEREAS THERE MIGHT NOT BE MORE MONEY BUT IF WE'RE MORE COST EFFICIENT, YOU CAN
DO MORE UNITS OR REACH MORE PEOPLE BY REACHING OUT TO SOME OF THIS.
IF WE CAN SHOW THAT THE COST BENEFIT IS WHAT WE KNOW IT IS, THEN AT SOME POINT, I WOULD
LIKE TO GO BACK TO CONGRESS AND SAY, GIVE US SOME OF THE SAVINGS AND LET'S PUT IT BACK
INTO HEALTHY HOMES. THIS IS THE WHOLE INTERVENTION MODEL THAT
MATT IS WORKING WITH IN CLEVELAND. YOU KNOW, JUSTICE HAS THIS PROGRAM, AND IT'S
CALLED AFFIRMATIVE ENFORCEMENT, AND THEY ALLOW YOU TO GO OUT AND SUE ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT.
I USED TO BE WITH JUSTICE, AND IF YOU RECOVER MONEY, YOU GET TO KEEP 10%.
TO DO MORE AFFIRMATIVE ENFORCEMENT. I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE'RE THERE YET, SO DON'T
QUOTE ME ON THAT, BUT THOSE TYPE OF PROGRAMS WHERE WE CAN SHOW THAT THE COST BENEFIT OF
THESE PROGRAMS IS HUGE AND WE'RE GOING TO SAVE MONEY IN THE LONG RUN, THAT'S WHAT IT'S
ALL ABOUT. SO I'M ENCOURAGED BY WHERE WE'RE GOING.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION.
ANOTHER QUESTION. WELL, I GUESS WE HAVE TWO AND THAT'S IT?
YOU HAVE A QUESTION, MA'AM, TOO. OKAY.
YES, SIR. >> I AM THE CHIEF OF THE BRANCH OF LEAD AND
HEALTHY HOUSING HERE IN THE DISTRICT. AND WE HAVE EMBARKED ON THE LEAD AND HEALTHY
HOUSING MISSION. WE'RE CLEAR EYED AND COMMITTED, AND WE'VE
DONE A GREAT DEAL OF WORK. ONE THING THAT I'D LIKE TO ASK ABOUT IS, YOU
KNOW, FROM A PRIORITY STANDPOINT, IS THIS PANEL GOING TO LOOK AT WAYS TO MARKET HEALTHY
HOUSING, ESPECIALLY WHERE IT, I GUESS OVERLAPS? I KNOW A LOT HAS BEEN DONE ON THE ENERGY SIDE,
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO, LET'S SAY, MULTI UNIT OWNERS, PROPERTY OWNERS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SEEING
A LOT OF, I THINK, A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OF ISSUES LIKE IPM ARE USING, IPM PROCESSES.
WE'RE CERTAINLY SEEING WE'RE HAVING DIFFICULTY GETTING SOME MULTIFAMILY MULTI UNIT PROPERTY
OWNERS TO ENGAGE WITH US IN MAKING THEIR HOMES SAFE.
SO I'M WONDERING IF STRATEGICALLY THAT'S PART OF THE VISION, AND THEN ALSO I JUST HAVE TO
THROW OUT THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, IN OUR CITY, THE NUMBER THE LARGEST GROUP OF PEOPLE
WHO ARE DOING HEALTHY HOME ASSESSMENTS IN PROPERTIES ACTUALLY WERE ASSOCIATED WITH CENTERS
FOR DISEASE CONTROL, FIRST CHILD LEAD PREVENTION PROGRAM AND NOW HEALTHY HOUSING PROGRAM THAT
HAD A LOT OF DIFFICULTY IN FUNDING CHALLENGES, AND I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT HERE THAT
HERE THAT MONEY IS REALLY SUPPORTING THE LEAD AND HEALTHY HOUSING PROVISION.
I KNOW NATIONALLY THERE ARE OTHER PLACES WHERE THAT'S TRUE.
TO THE EXTENT THAT CAN BE LOOKED AT, CAN BE THOUGHT ABOUT, I THINK ONE DAY IN THE FUTURE
WE'LL BE REALIZING THAT WE NEED TO UPLIFT OR RAISE UP A GROUP OF PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS
TO PLAY A ROLE IN THE HEALTHY HOUSING VISION IF THIS GROUP IS, UNFORTUNATELY, EFFECTIVELY
DISBANDED. THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO PUT OUT THERE
AND HOPE UP. >> BEFORE I HOPE IT, HOW CAN YOU'RE NOT BACK
WRITING YOUR GRANT? IT'S DUE TODAY.
DON'T FORGET. IT'S DUE TODAY.
ANYWAY, WHO WOULD LIKE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION? >> LET ME TAKE THE FIRST HALF OF THAT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, HARRISON. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, OUR NOFA
IS ON THE STREET, AND IT IS DUE TODAY, SO WE ACTUALLY HAD SOME PEOPLE SAY, CAN YOU HAVE
THIS EVENT SOME OTHER TIME, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE BUSY MAKING SURE THOSE ARE PROPOSED
OR IN. PART OF THE STRATEGY GOING FORWARD IS EDUCATING
THE PUBLIC. THAT'S CRUCIAL.
YOU HAVE TO MARKET THIS. AND WE WERE SUCCESSFUL WITH LEAD TO A GREAT
EXTENT, BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO GET PEOPLE TO, AS PART OF THEIR GRANTS AND AS PARTS OF
THE STRATEGY, EMBRACE AWARENESS AND EDUCATION. SO NATURALLY, THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE A PIECE.
IT IS GOING UNDER THE STRATEGIC PLAN. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE HEALTHY HOMES DOT GOV
THAT WAS MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT. RADKE IS GOING TO BE INSTRUMENTAL.
THIS IS JUST A FEDERAL EFFORT ACROSS ALL AGENCIES. WE'RE GOING TO HOUSE IT ON HUD'S WEBSITE,
BUT IT'S GOING TO INCLUDE CONTENT, INPUT FROM ALL OF THE PANELISTS AS WELL AS ADVOCACY GROUPS
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT THE RIGHT INFORMATION THERE FOR THE PUBLIC.
>> CHRIS. >> THANKS, JOHN.
SO FIRST, I AGREE WITH JOHN, THAT ONE OF THE KEY COMPONENTS TO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS GOING
TO BE NOT JUST EDUCATING THE PUBLIC, BUT EDUCATING ALL STAKEHOLDERS AT ALL LEVELS IN WHAT IT
MEANS TO HAVE A HEALTHY HEALTHY HOMES PROGRAM AND ONE THAT IS EFFECTIVE IN THIS COUNTRY.
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT CDC'S COMMITMENT TO LEAD POISONING PREVENTION IN HEALTHY HOMES,
WHILE OUR RESOURCES ARE LESS, THE COMMITMENT IS STILL THERE.
WE'RE STILL COMMITTED TO PROVIDING CRITICAL SUPPORT TO DATA SYSTEMS TO TRACK OUR LEAD
POISONING IN CHILDREN. WE'RE STILL COMMITTED TO TRAINING STATE AND
LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS AND OFFICIALS IN HEALTHY HOMES AND LEAD POISONING PREVENTION ISSUES.
WE ARE STILL COMMITTED TO DOING LABORATORY PROFICIENCY TESTING FOR MANY OF THE COMPONENTS
OF LEAD POISONING PREVENTION AND OTHER ASPECTS OF THIS, AND AS I SAID IN MY TALK, WE'RE COMMITTED
TO WORKING WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS FOR HEALTHY HOME POLICIES ACROSS THE NATION.
THE IMPORTANT THING ABOUT THIS STRATEGY, ONE OF THE MOST STRIKING THINGS ABOUT THIS STRATEGY
IS THAT WE ARE NOT ONLY POOLING OUR EFFORT AND AIMING IN THE SAME DIRECTION, WE ARE POOLING
OUR RESOURCES AS FEDERAL AGENCY TOSS GO AGENCIES TO GO AFTER THESE PROBLEMS, AND I
THINK THAT'S A KEY COMPONENT TO MOVING FORWARD AND CONVINCING PEOPLE TO PUT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
INTO THIS ACTIVITY. >> JUST ONE MORE THING FOR MULTIFAMILY PRODUCTION,
WE ENCOURAGE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS IN OUR DEVELOPMENT, SUCH AS ENERGY SAVINGS COMPONENTS
INTO OUR HOUSING, BUT THIS IS ONE ITEM, THE RADON, THAT THERE IS NO GRAY AREA.
WE REQUIRE THAT TO HAPPEN IN TERMS OF AN APPLICATION. SO THERE'S NO MAYBES IN REGARDS TO THIS TESTING
PROCEDURE THAT WE'RE INITIATING. IT HAS TO BE DONE TO MOVE FORWARD IN TERMS
OF INSURING MULTIFAMILY PRODUCTS. >> AND I THINK IN TERMS OF EPA, YOU KNOW,
WE CONTINUE TO COORDINATE WITH OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, AND I THINK ABOUT LEAD BASED PAINT.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE RENOVATION REPAIR AND PAINTING RULE, THIS IS AN EFFORT THAT
WE WORKED ACROSS AGENCIES TO BRAND AND THE IDEA OF RENOVATING YOUR HOMES AND RENOVATED
SAFE AND MAKING SURE THAT THERE WERE AMPLE CERTIFIED WORKERS OUT THERE, 100,000 CERTIFIED
WORKERS, 125,000 FIRMS TO DO LEAD SAFE WORK PRACTICES.
SO AS EPA, THE OFFICES OF CHILDREN'S HEALTH PROTECTION, COORDINATING THIS HEALTHY HOMES
INITIATIVE ACROSS THE AGENCY AND MAKING SURE THAT WE LEVERAGE OUR RESOURCES WITHIN THE
AGENCY AND WITH OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS. I MEAN, IT IS A CHALLENGE BECAUSE AT THIS
POINT, WE ARE ALL DEALING WITH RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS, BUT I THINK THIS COLLABORATIVE AND COORDINATED
EFFORT IS A WAY THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO USE OUR RESOURCES WISELY.
SO I THINK THAT IS THE GOAL THAT WE HAVE, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO USE
THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE EFFECTIVELY. >> GREAT.
LAST QUESTION, MA'AM. DO YOU NEED A BOX?
I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. >> THAT'S OKAY.
>> PICK HER UP. >> (LAUGHTER).
>> HI. I'M AN INTERN WITH THE ADMINISTRATION FOR
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. I'M CURRENTLY A STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF MARYLAND, PRE MED, AND MAJORING IN GLOBAL HEALTH, AND I'VE TAKEN MANY PUBLIC HEALTH
CLASSES, PRE MED CLASSES, AND I WAS REALLY SURPRISED THAT I DIDN'T KNOW THAT RADON WAS
THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF LUNG CANCER, AND I'M JUST SURPRISED.
I THOUGHT IT WAS NEVER MENTIONED IN MY COMMUNITY HEALTH CLASSES, AND I WAS THINKING IT COULD
BE REALLY EFFECTIVE FOR YOUR ORGANIZATIONS TO OUTREACH TO, LIKE, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS,
LIKE IN THEIR HEALTH CLASSES, AND YOU KNOW, COLLEGE CLASSES PERTAINING TO HEALTH, TO EDUCATE
STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING TO BE FUTURE HOMEOWNERS, RENTERS.
I'M ALSO THE DAUGHTER OF A PROPERTY MANAGER, AND HE'S TALKED ABOUT LEAD PAINT, BUT I'VE
NEVER HEARD HIM TALK ABOUT RADON, SO I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU'VE CONSIDERED OUTREACHING
THROUGH EDUCATION AND THE PROCESS TO EDUCATE FUTURE GENERATIONS ABOUT RADON.
>> LET ME JUST SAY THANKS FOR YOUR COMMENT. I THINK YOU'RE A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THE CHALLENGE
WE HAVE, BUT THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES. THE RADON STRATEGY HAS, AS ONE OF
ITS KEY PIECES OF IT, TO REALLY TRY TO DEAL WITH GETTING THAT MESSAGE OUT.
RADON IS ONE OF THOSE ISSUES THAT IT WAS KIND OF THE SEXY ISSUE 20 YEARS AGO, A LOT OF ATTENTION,
A LOT OF EFFORT ON IT, AND IT DRIFTED OUT OF PEOPLE'S CONSCIOUSNESS, AND IN A LOT OF
PEOPLE'S MINDS, IT'S NOT THERE, BUT I THINK YOUR SUGGESTION IS GREAT.
WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT NEW AVENUES, NEW PLACES TO GO TO GET THAT MESSAGE OUT.
SO THANKS FOR YOUR COMMENT. >> HI.
AM I ON? AM I LIVE?
OKAY. HI, MS.LEE.
I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE ANOTHER COMPONENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES THAT
IS WORKING TOWARD THE HEALTHY HOMES STRATEGY. YOUR AGENCY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS, AND I WILL KEEP THOSE IN MIND AS WE TRY TO GARNER
OUR HHS ASSETS INTO IMPLEMENTING THE RADON STRATEGY.
THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
LASTLY, I WANT TO SAY, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE KIT ROD KEY.
HE'S OVER THERE. AND O'CONNOR, WHO IS I'M SURE WRITING DOWN
EVERY WORD I SAY ON HER I PAD, FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU NEXT WEEK AT THE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE AND ALSO JUST TO
LET YOU KNOW, OUR BIG NATIONAL HEALTHY HOMES CONFERENCE IS THE LAST WEEK OF MAY
IN NASHVILLE NEXT YEAR. I KNOW IT'S
NEXT YEAR, BUT I HAD TO SAY IT, SO PUT IT ON YOUR CALENDAR?
BUT THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT, AND
WE
ALL LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU
IN THE DAYS, MONTHS, YEARS AHEAD. THANK YOU.