Pediatrician at NIFA housing summit: ‘Health, wealth and housing — you can’t separate them.’

LINCOLN — Mouse droppings led to a “eureka moment” for Dr. Megan Sandel, who at the time was a pediatric resident in Boston.

Sandel, speaking Wednesday in Nebraska, back then had been caring for a child who was admitted to the intensive care unit with a worsening case of asthma. She and the family were “tearing our hair out” trying to figure out the trigger, and then someone mentioned a newcomer to the child’s home, a cat.

The family had gotten the cat to get rid of mice the landlord neglected to handle. While the cat chased away the mice — they’d gotten so bad they left droppings in the child’s bed — the feline set off her asthma attacks.

“The prescription I wanted to write was a healthy home — but we didn’t stock that at the pharmacy at our hospital, Boston Medical Center,” said Sandel. 

From that point on, safe housing and good health would be forever entwined in her mind and her work.  

So it made sense that Sandel, a medical doctor, researcher and professor at Boston University’s School of Public Health, was invited to be featured speaker at a housing summit hosted this week by the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority. 

NIFA was created by the Nebraska Legislature in 1983 to help meet affordable housing needs across the state, in part by providing financing through the awarding of low-income housing tax credits. About 700 people registered for the three-day conference at the Lincoln Cornhusker Marriott titled: Framing the Future. 

Evidence is clear

Stressing that safe and affordable housing is a predictor of positive health outcomes, Sandel, to illustrate her point, turned to maps of the Boston area that showed a correlation between historic “redlined” areas and current high diabetes rates and lower life expectancies. 

Redlining was the practice of denying home loans to people in certain areas based on race or ethnicity. It has led to ongoing economic and other disparities.

Sandel said the evidence moving forward is clear: Stronger partnerships between housing and health care sectors can create more vibrant families and communities. She urged housing developers, policymakers and others in the audience to help forge such connections, even though she said they’re still viewed as somewhat unconventional. 

Health care systems bring both political and capital clout to the equation, Sandel said, citing examples where hospital systems have become investors in helping to accelerate the production of affordable housing. 

“Health, wealth and housing — you can’t separate them,” Sandel said. “We have to partner.”

Sandel told the Nebraska Examiner she was eager to visit Nebraska, especially after finding out that NIFA is among a half-dozen state housing finance agencies selected to be in a national program where participants learn how to structure such co-investment opportunities.

The so-called H3C Initiative (Healthy Housing, Healthy Communities Partnership) is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The foundation is to invest in a Lincoln project involving NIFA and local health and community organizations to develop refugee-focused workforce housing near Bryan Health System. 

The Center for Community Investment is providing technical assistance for Nebraska’s plan, said spokesperson Kimberlee Cornett, who said more information would be available in midsummer.

Bridget Hadley, an economic development manager for the City of Omaha, was among audience members who heard Sandel speak at the Wednesday breakfast gathering. 

She said she was glad to hear Sandel urge more attention to correcting the root causes of poor health and other concerns. 

“I’m so glad to see her make the connection between housing, health and wealth,” said Hadley. “People are starting to see that you can’t just develop the physical environment … if you want to build a stronger community and a stronger city.”

‘Housing Champion’ and other awards

The annual conference also featured numerous workshops on topics ranging from homeownership, construction innovation and how to spur affordable housing in small towns.

NIFA also presented the Housing Champion award to Judy Petersen, formerly of the Central Nebraska Development District, for a  lifetime of work in the affordable housing industry.

Among other awards: 

Housing Hall of Fame, rural: Rawnda Pierce, formerly with Twin City Development.

Housing Hall of Fame, urban: Thomas Judds, executive vice president, Foundations Development.

Innovative Project Award: The Cottages, Siena Francis House and Arch Icon. 

Affordable Housing Trust Fund awards: Village of Clearwater; NeighborhoodWorks Home Solutions

Homeless Shelter Assistance Trust Fund awards: Care Corps LifeHouse; Cedars Youth Services.