TL/DR –
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded a Hispanic Serving Institutions Center of Excellence grant to create the Arizona Research Center for Housing Equity and Sustainability (ARCHES) program. Located at Arizona State University and the University of Arizona, the $3 million program will focus on housing, climate, and health among the Hispanic community and other underserved communities. The program seeks to address housing needs in the Hispanic communities, explore housing discrimination, and investigate the impact of housing on health and financial disparity, particularly in relation to heat and availability of services such as hospitals and fresh food.
ARCHES Program Established with HUD’s Hispanic Serving Institutions Grant
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded a grant for establishing the Arizona Research Center for Housing Equity and Sustainability (ARCHES). This $3 million program will be housed at Arizona State University’s Morrison Institute for Public Policy and the University of Arizona, intending to explore housing, climate, and health issues in underserved Hispanic communities.
Alison Cook-Davis, Co-Director of ARCHES, and Deirdre Pfeiffer, Associate Professor at ASU’s School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, shared insights on ARCHES. Pfeiffer highlighted the need due to lower homeownership rates among Hispanic households in Arizona compared to non-Hispanic Whites.
Northern Arizona University and the University of New Mexico will also collaborate in the research. The program will investigate potential housing discrimination and language use in discussions surrounding housing in Arizona.
In underserved Hispanic communities, Cook-Davis noted higher heat temperatures, up to a five-degree difference. The program will research the impact of housing on these heat disparities, focusing on indoor heat and its relation to health and financial strain from high energy costs.
Further research areas will include the materials used in home construction and their location, directly impacting health and quality of life. Access to healthcare and fresh food also play significant roles in individuals’ well-being, according to Pfeiffer.
Contributors in this Segment:
Alison Cook-Davis, Co-Director of ARCHES
Deirdre Pfeiffer, Associate Professor, School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, ASU
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