ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF HOUSING
Housing is a part of man's total environment and hence it is to some extent responsible for the status of his health and well-being. The residential environment may affect man's physical health by influencing the transmission of communicable diseases, by not fulfilling his physiological needs, or by causing injury. Although approximately 60% of the U. S. population is currently covered by an adopted local or state housing code, it has been estimated that 16 to 20 million of the some 70 million dwelling units in the United States are so far below standard they should be replaced. To cope with environmental problems related to housing and to protect the health of the nation's citizens, health agencies must accept the role of either stimulating or carrying out the four kinds of governmental action set forth below: (a) adoption of minimum health standards in housing; (b) conduct a program to achieve and maintain such standards; (c) conduct periodic evaluation of the standards to ensure their current adequacy; and (d) monitor the standards enforcement effort to guarantee that public health values are provided.