• Reports

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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  • NEW RELEASE: (2024) Rental Housing Needs Assessment

    2024 Update of CPAL’s Rental Housing Needs Assessment analyzes the growing gap of rental housing supply and demand for low-income families.

    • As of 2022, Dallas had a 39,900 unit gap in affordable rental housing. The shortage of affordable housing units is projected to grow to 76,100 units by 2035, driven by an anticipated loss of 54,000 unrestricted affordable housing units.
    • Despite improvement over time in educational attainment and wages, 49% of all renters in the City of Dallas are housing cost burdened, and some renters are disproportionately affected, including Black renters, senior renters, and single parents with children.
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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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  • Role of Junk Fees in the Dallas Rental Housing Market

    During summer 2024, CPAL began to explore the role of junk fees in the rental housing market in Dallas.

    • 56 out of 60 apartment complexes surveyed charged mandatory monthly fees (i.e., “junk fees”), in addition to the base rent.
    • These fees cost renters, on average, $756 to $984 per year, further eroding housing affordability.
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