Projects

Healthy Homes highlights the connection between health and housing, and how to take a holistic approach to identifying and resolving problems that threaten the health and well-being of residents. Healthy Homes is a multi-dimensional concept that spans the historically separate domains of housing, public health and environmental health.

This 8-month project was a pilot for a larger IPM Rowhouse project. PA IPM partnered with a local pest control company (Pest Free Maintenance) and a community development corporation (People’s Emergency Center) to assess and improve the living conditions of the occupants in one home in West Philadelphia.

Pest presence in schools is not only a health hazard, but is also very distracting and can lower morale in both staff and students. Asthma, linked to prolonged exposure to pests and pesticides, is one of the main health problems contributing to missed school days and visits to the nurse during school hours.

This one-year project was funded by US EPA. We selected a block of row houses in West Philadelphia and another in North Philadelphia for this project. A part-time IPM Health Educator, Rhonda Griffin, was hired and based at the Philadelphia Outreach Office to assist with the education and outreach campaign.