Healthy Pest Free Housing Initiative

The Healthy Pest Free Housing Initiative (HPFHI)

The Healthy Pest Free Housing Initiative (HPFHI) is an innovative community demonstration project designed to reduce environmental health risks and asthma among residents of Boston public housing, in homes and communities. Through education, outreach, and systems change, HPFHI is reducing pest infestation, while changing individual and community pest control practices.

This effort builds on the Healthy Public Housing Initiative (HPHI). HPHI documented that nearly 50% of the Boston Housing Authority homes tested showed cockroach allergen levels in excess of asthma sensitivity exposures; nearly 60% of the tested children showed allergic sensitivity to the most prevalent cockroach antigen. Every home tested showed evidence of at least one pesticide compound that is either banned or restricted to non-residential use.

Safer pest management requires residents and management to work together to create a home environment that is unwelcoming to pests – such as sealing food, eliminating clutter, stopping leaks, and sealing cracks.

HPFHI is funded through grants from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Over three years, this funding will support:

The employment of Boston Housing Authority residents as community health advocates. Trained community health advocates serve as bridges to the health care system and to the Boston Housing Authority. Community Health Advocates provide multi-lingual heath education addressing asthma and tobacco use. Health advocates demonstrate safe and effective pest control techniques to their public housing neighbors in fifteen public housing developments.

BHA staff time to ensure sustainability of the pest control program through the development of new pest control procedures and training of staff and residents in safe pest control practices. A safe and effective pest control module will be created for new resident orientation.

Development of a public information campaign: A comprehensive brochure, “What You Need to Know About Pests and Pesticides to Protect Your Families Health” has been produced in multiple languages. Posters reinforce these messages. Educational materials are distributed with Home SAFE kits which include supplies for pest management and other asthma triggers.

A Pesticide Buyback program, to eliminate potentially toxic substances from the home environment. The twice-yearly “buyback” program”, allows residents to exchange unsafe pesticides for plastic food containers.

A Bodega Campaign:  HPHI learned that residents have access to illegal and restricted pesticides through the small neighborhood shops. The initiative is working with these merchants to educate them about the dangers of illegal and restricted pesticides, identify safe and effective products they could sell and to promote safe pest control messages through the shops.

Local, statewide, and regional policy initiatives: including ‘Integrated Pest Management: A Guide for Managers and Owners of Affordable Housing’, and a Policy Options White Paper. Massachusetts Public Health Association will organize presentations for members and support local and statewide IPM advocacy activities. Massachusetts Community Health Worker network will work with MPHA to train community health workers in Asthma and integrated pest management.

The Healthy Pest Free Housing Initiative is managed by the Boston Public Health Commission and involves a diverse coalition of partners including the Boston Housing Authority, Committee for Boston Public Housing, West Broadway Task Force, Asthma Regional Council of New England, Boston Urban Asthma Coalition, Massachusetts Public Health Association and the Boston University School of Public Health.