From your partners at Tribal Healthy Homes Northwest…

• We’re happy to announce the release of our Quick Tour of Key Healthy Home Resources. It’s an interactive guide to key and free resources that help you build safe and healthy tribal housing. In the Guide, you’ll find tribal-specific FUNDING opportunities, TRAINING opportunities, TOOLS to ASSESS housing conditions, and finally, OUTREACH materials for educating residents.
• Getting ready to build or renovate homes in your community? Want to know what products are durable, affordable AND healthy? Take a look at our Healthy Home Procurement Guide: “Top 10 Affordable and Healthy Building Materials You Can Begin Using Today”.

From your partners at US Environmental Protection Agency, Region X…

• Tribes can get free radon test kits from EPA! This January is Radon Action Month. Radon is a natural colorless, odorless radioactive gas, and is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, but testing for radon and reducing elevated levels when they are found can make your home healthier and safer. Free test kits are available from the Tribal Air Monitoring Support Center (TAMS). Contact Erin McTigue for more information and to order free, easy to use kits at mctigue.erin@epa.gov or 206 553 1254.   More info at http://www.epa.gov/radon/.
• Are there “standards” for healthy housing?  Up until recently, there weren’t uniform standards, but a recent project by national healthy housing organizations has worked to change that. The National Healthy Housing Standard report was published in June 2013.  For tribal housing staff, the document offers value in that it can serve as a standard of care for any property owner to follow to ensure the health and safety of residents. It covers topics like ventilation, moisture, pest management, indoor air quality, and more.  http://www.nchh.org/Policy/NationalHealthyHousingStandard.aspx