Abstract

Decent and affordable housing is vital to human health, but the inhabitants of many densely populated cities lack housing that is either decent or affordable. This chapter examines the historical evolution of housing and health in U.S. cities, discusses current trends, and summarizes relevant research and policy dialogue from the public health and housing policy literature. We then consider Los Angeles, a city with a diverse population and a long history of housing problems. In addition to examining the relationship between housing and health, we consider strategies developed to address housing and health problems in the city. This chapter relies primarily on existing literature and secondary data such as the American Housing Survey. In addition, this chapter is informed by the authors’ experiences in housing policy and recent field research in the Los Angeles area.