A safe, stable home is one of the most important building blocks of health. In Manchester, housing conditions can affect everything from breathing and sleep to injury risk, stress, and long-term well-being.
Healthy homes are more than just clean homes. They are homes that are free from hazards, well-maintained, protected from moisture and mold, and safe from exposures like lead, pests, and poor indoor air quality.
Why Housing Affects Health
Environmental factors in and around the home can have a real impact on health. Poor housing conditions can increase the risk of asthma, respiratory infections, lead poisoning, injuries, and stress-related health problems.
Older housing is especially important to monitor in Manchester because many homes were built before 1950, which increases the risk of lead and other substandard conditions. Lead is especially harmful to children because it can damage the brain and nervous system, and homes built before 1978 are much more likely to contain lead-based paint.
Common Home Hazards
Some of the most common housing-related health hazards include:
- Lead paint and dust.
- Mold and dampness.
- Pests such as rodents and insects.
- Poor ventilation and indoor air quality.
- Unsafe temperatures, moisture, or drinking water.
- Crowding or unsafe living conditions.
These hazards can affect people differently, but children, older adults, pregnant people, and residents with chronic health conditions are often at higher risk.
What is the City responsible for?
The Manchester Health Department works to protect residents through environmental public health and neighborhood health efforts, including investigations into conditions that may affect health. The City also works with community partners to improve healthy housing and reduce lead exposure in priority neighborhoods.
The Planning and Community Development Department can regulate minimum housing standards and hold landlords and property managers accountable for fixing rental housing conditions.
How You Can Help Create a Healthy Home
You can help protect your household by:
- Reporting leaks, conditions that lead to mold growth, pests, or unsafe conditions early.
- Keeping your home clean and dry.
- Using safe renovation practices in older homes.
- Testing for lead hazards in homes built before 1978.
- Making sure children receive routine health care and lead screening when recommended.