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Housing Remediation as an Effective Intervention for Pediatric Asthma

April 2025

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One of the most well-documented consequences of substandard housing quality is asthma. The Green and Healthy Homes Initiative estimates that 40% of all asthma episodes are caused by preventable home-based asthma allergens, like dust, pests, and mold. Pediatric asthma episodes cause millions of dollars in unnecessary health care spending, keep kids home from school, and force parents to take time off of work to care for their children.

This issue-brief describes the impacts of asthma in Dallas and how home repair can better asthma outcomes, increase economic mobility, and improve the quality of life for children across Dallas. Key findings include:

  • ~67K children in Dallas County (10%) have asthma.

  • Black children in Dallas are diagnosed with asthma at more than double the rate of their White and Hispanic peers.

  • Asthma is a leading cause of school absenteeism, and Dallas County students with asthma miss an estimated 109K school days annually. Their parents face $31M annually in lost wages to care for their children.

  • Addressing in-home triggers, however, can significantly improve outcomes. In a Philadelphia program, home repairs led to a 90% reduction in overnight hospital stays for children with asthma.

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  • An Underutilized Housing Affordability Tool: Homestead Exemptions

    CPAL examines homestead exemption access in Dallas County — who’s claiming, who isn’t, and how much money eligible homeowners could realize if they claimed this benefit.

    • ~57K residential properties in Dallas County may be eligible for the homestead exemption but have not yet claimed it, for an estimated total benefit of ~$310M.
    • ~40K properties in low-income and very low-income census tracts in Dallas County may be eligible for the homestead exemption but have not yet claimed it, for an estimated total benefit of ~$200M, or ~$5,000 per household.
    • While an estimated 95% of eligible households in high-income census tracts claim their homestead exemption, only 81% of households in very low-income census tracts claim their homestead exemption.
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  • 2025 Rental Housing Needs Assessment

    The 2025 Rental Housing Needs Assessment establishes a shared fact base on rental affordability, supply, and opportunity in the City of Dallas.

    • Dallas faces a 46,000-unit shortage of rental homes affordable to very low-income households earning ≤50% of Area Median Income (AMI). Since CPAL first published this report in 2023, the gap has grown by more than 12,000 units.
    • Between 2021 and 2023, the number of rental units priced below $1,000 per month was cut in half — a loss of over 50,000 units. Today, 90% of affordable units for low-income renters are unsubsidized and vulnerable to market pressures.
    • Half of all renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, including 75% of single parents with children and 65% of senior renters. Extremely low-income renters spend, on average, 78% of their income on housing, leaving little room for other necessities.
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  • Housing Stability for School Success Toolkit

    This framework has been piloted with DISD since 2021-22 on two elementary campuses working with district administrators.

    • This toolkit was designed to equip school district staff to implement family-centered interventions for families that may be at risk of or currently experiencing a housing-related issue.
    • The toolkit includes open-source resources (e.g., family enrollment postcards) and data tools that can be adapted by local school districts and nonprofit organizations working with housing insecure families.
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