Boston REACH: Partners in Health and Housing
After learning about Boston REACH: PHH below, be sure to take a look at our initiatives and resources page for additional information on the different project initiatives and resources like our new Healthy Food Purchasing Handbook.
Health is an important part of our everyday lives and it is very much influenced by your living environment.
For example in 2013, the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) reported:
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32% of public housing and 27% of Section 8 residents reported past 30 day cigarette smoking,
compared to 16% of other residents
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20% reported consuming at least one sugar-sweetened beverage a day,
compared to 8% of other residents
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43% reported getting adequate physical activity, including walking,
compared to 57% of other residents, and
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67% residents in subsidized housing were overweight or obese compared to 54% of other residents
Boston REACH was a 3 year (2014-2017) community health initiative aimed at improving the health of Boston residents, especially Black and Latino residents, living in Boston Housing Authority (BHA) developments and BHA-Administered Rental Assisted/Section 8 Housing. The initiative was led by the Partners in Health and Housing (PHH) Coalition, which consists of the Boston Public Health Commission, Boston Housing Authority, PHH-Community Committee for Health Promotion, and BU School of Public Health. Boston REACH worked to:
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Enhance smoke free housing environment in public housing, mixed-finance, and Section 8;
and enforce Smoke Free policy in public housing.
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Promote consumption of healthy foods and beverages and tap water.
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Promote linkage to community health centers for chronic disease prevention, risk reduction, and management.
Julieta and Willie, Boston Housing Authority tenant leaders, speak about their efforts to
bring services to their community to improve the health of the residents.
For more information contact the Project REACH team at 617-988-5284 or
take a look at the initiatives and resources page.
Made possible with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
