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SAN LEANDRO GENERAL PLAN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE EJ-14 Safe and Sanitary Homes The state of California has higher median housing costs than most other states in the country. Elevated housing costs can make it difficult for lower-income residents to afford adequate housing, leading to housing- induced poverty. 12 According to the California Department of Housing and Community Development, housing-induced poverty can result in poor housing conditions such as inadequate ventilation, mold development, and asbestos exposure. The California Department of Public Health has linked poor housing conditions to health impacts such as cancer, asthma, and other respiratory illnesses. In addition to toxic exposures, resource-based housing issues such as landlord neglect and overcrowding are more likely to impact lower income residents. These issues can result in health impacts associated with substandard housing conditions, including increased likelihood of injury and mental illnesses.12 The following housing demographics are indicators of the quality and safety of housing conditions in San Leandro. Age of Housing Stock: Age of housing stock is a primary indicator of housing quality. Older housing is more likely to contain pollutants such as lead and asbestos as a result of outdated building materials and age- related maintenance issues.13 While lead based paint was banned in 1978 by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), it is still a significant problem in cities where the housing stock is relatively old and built before the ban. In San Leandro, about 80 percent of the housing stock was built before 1979, with most housing built between 1940 and 1959. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that contractors be EPA- lead certified prior to beginning work on structures built before 1978. The City’s Building & Safety Services Division requires contractors working on homes built prior to 1978 to demonstrate that they have satisfied the EPA law prior to issuance of City building permits. The Alameda County Healthy Homes Department is the childhood lead poisoning prevention 12 California Department of Housing and Community Development. Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing: Guidance for All Public Entities and for Housing Elements (April 2021). Available at: https://abag.ca.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2021- 05/Affirmatively_Furthering_Fair_Housing.pdf 13 Centers for Disease Prevention and Control and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (2006). Healthy Housing Reference Manual. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.