Meeting Information

FOCUS ON USE OF CITY CODE ENFORCEMENT RESOURCES TO PROMOTE HEALTHY HOMES

Target group:  City Code Enforcement Agencies

1.       DBI-HIS routine inspection rating

Lack of personnel resource to apply HIS post-routine inspection rating recommending frequency of repeat inspection

Many Housing Code violations can affect asthma

Assign adequate personnel resource to implement frequency of inspection rating. Residential properties with greater degree of maintenance issues warrant more frequent routine inspection or more intensive follow-up

All multi-family housing subject to SF annual  licensing fee for apartments and hotels

DBI-HIS,DPH-EHS, MOH, SFRA, SFHA

Mandate

2.       DBI-HIS and DPH-EHS high frequency code violators

Lack of targeted effort to property owners with high frequency of housing or health code violations on their residential properties

Many Housing and Health Code violations can affect asthma

Create targeted enforcement for high frequency code violators. Residential properties with greater frequency of code violations warrant more intensive follow-up (e.g. City of Oakland top 12 slumlords District Atty effort at prosecution)

All housing subject to SF Housing and Health codes

DBI-HIS,DPH-EHS, MOH, SFRA, SFHA

Mandate

3.       Ensure that heating requirements of Housing Code address required filter changes and other maintenance

Some central heating does not perform adequately due to lack of maintenance and scheduled filter changes

Lack of effective heating creates conditions leading to moisture condensation

Audit effectiveness of existing Housing Code language to ensure that heating requirements also address required filter changes and other maintenance

SF Housing Code

DBI

Mandate

4.       Proactive inspection by DPH-EHS

Lack of proactive inspection by DPH-EHS, except for Hotels & Shelters

Many Health Code violations can affect asthma

Design targeted proactive inspection for other housing types.  Residential properties showing greater degree of health-related maintenance issues warrant a proactive routine inspection by environmental health professionals

All housing subject to SF Health Code

DPH-EHS

Mandate

FOCUS ON INDOOR AIRQUALITY CONTROL STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE HEALTHY HOMES

Target Group:  Residential Property Developers & Owners

Increasing availability of smooth flooring with low off-gas potential

Tenants do not have right to remove carpet, which serves as a reservoir for allergens and can also emit toxic pollutants when new

Carpet increases presence of allergens (dust mite, roaches, and mold) which are triggers for asthma

A. Need to establish if tenants in private housing with asthma have ADA right to reasonable accommodation by carpet removal

B. Need to establish best practices guidance and new building code requirements promoting smooth floor coverings

C. Incentives to developers to provide carpet-free set asides in new construction

New construction and existing housing

City Planning; SFRA; MOH

·         Best practices

·         Incentives

Increase quality of building materials in new construction

Poor quality building materials in new construction have short lifespans and are easily moisture-damaged

Need to ensure quality materials and quality construction methods preventing moisture damage

Provide incentive for LEED standard-compliant building materials to be used in new construction

New construction

City Planning, DBI, MOH, SFRA

·         Best practices

·         Incentives

Increase requirements for mechanical ventilation in bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms

Minimum mechanical ventilation should be required in rooms with predictable moisture generation in addition to operable windows (e.g. bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms)

Moisture increases dust mite, roaches and mold growth, all associated with asthma exacerbation as allergens

A. Change existing Building Codes to require both mechanical ventilation and operable windows in bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms.

B. Increase strength of required mechanical ventilation, 2 or 3 fold.

New construction or existing housing; eg. at triggering events such as sale or transfer of property; remodeling above a certain $ value

DBI; modify relevant building codes

·         Building Code revision mandate

Increase access to whole house performance testing to assure building envelope integrity

Loss of heat and infiltration of cold air leads to dampness, moisture condensation and mold growth in homes

Dampness and mold both known to affect respiratory health

A. Establish best practices

B. Provide incentive to conduct “Whole House Performance Testing” to identify sources of heat loss, moisture condensation, etc.

C. Bring down costs of hiring performance testing; train and certify end users of performance testing

D. Require “Whole House Performance Testing” for properties with repeat  code violations relating to mold growth, where building envelope is suspect contributor

New construction and existing housing

DBI, DPH MOH, SFRA, City Planning

·         Best practices

·         Incentives

Increase access to thermographic camera inspections to assure building envelope integrity

Moisture infiltration problems lead to mold growth; hiring consultants to use camera is expensive

Dampness and mold both known to affect respiratory health

A. Establish best practices

B. Provide incentive to conduct thermographic camera inspection to identify moisture infiltration through building envelope

C. Bring down costs of hiring camera inspections; train and certify end users of camera

D. Require “Whole House Performance Testing” for properties with repeat  code violations relating to mold growth, where building envelope is suspect contributor

New construction and existing housing

DBI, DPH MOH, SFRA, City Planning

·         Best practices

·         Incentives

Increase authority to require controls for pest entry points

Need to control entry points of pests to avoid repeat violations

Rodents and roaches both known asthma triggers

Update Health Director’s Rules and Regulations on Prevention and Control of Rodents and Other Vectors

Existing housing

DPH-EHS

·         Health Code revision mandate or internal Health Director’s Rules and Regulations

Increase authority to require integrated pest management as first response for pest control

Need to reduce use of toxic pesticides

Pesticide use associated with new asthma onset in children

Update Health Director’s Rules and Regulations on Prevention and Control of Rodents and Other Vectors

Existing housing

DPH-EHS

·         Health Code revision mandate or internal Health Director’s Rules and Regulations

Increase prohibitions on tobacco smoke in multi-unit housing

Second-hand smoke infiltration to unit; SHS in common areas

Smoke is well proven cause of asthma exacerbation

A. Make all units smoke-free for new construction (SFAA has policy guidance on how to do this)

B. Require the above whenever public financing pass through used

C. Make smoke-free set asides and smoke-free common areas

New construction and existing housing

MOH, SFRA, DPH-EHS

SF Tobacco Free Coalition

·         Best practices

·         Incentives

·         Mandates

·         Policy agenda of SFTF Coalition

FOCUS ON TOXIC CONSUMER PRODUCTS & FURNISHINGS CONTROL STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE HEALTHY HOMES

Target Group:  Public

Promote consumers’ reduced use of:

·         toxic household products;

·         toxic emitting furnishings (e.g. formaldehyde presswood);

·         pesticide products

·         fragrances

Indoor air pollutants and toxicity from consumer products use

These indoor air pollutants also contribute to outdoor air pollution when migrating outside of the home

Many chemical ingredients in household products & furnishings are  known to cause or exacerbate asthma

Citizen Advisory Committee to BOS to guide City agencies developing points below:

·         Public awareness campaign;

·         Community-Based Agency Education; e.g. resources for family service providers to educate the families they serve;

·         Posted warnings in retail locations

·         Warnings in standard lease information

All residents, new and existing housing

SFE

·         Citizen Advisory Committee

·         Public awareness campaign; resources for family service providers

·         Mandates for posted warnings

Promote resident actions to:

·         Control mold & moisture sources in the home;

·         Control pest habitats and use integrated pest mngt.

Many sources of moisture and mold in the home can be controlled by occupants

Many pest habitats and entry points can be controlled by occupants

Mold and dampness are known to exacerbate asthma

Pests are known to exacerbate asthma for those allergic to pest-related allergen

Citizen Advisory Commiteee to BOS to guide City agencies developing points below:

·         Public awareness campaign;

·         Community-Based Agency Education; e.g. resources for family service providers to educate the families they serve;

·         Posted warnings in retail locations

·         Warnings in standard lease information

All residents, new and existing housing

SFE

·         Citizen Advisory Committee

·         Public awareness campaign; resources for family service providers

·         Mandates for posted warnings

FOCUS ON OUTDOOR AIR QUALITY & NOISE CONTROL STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE HEALTHY HOMES

Target Group:  Residential Property Developers & Owners

Control outdoor air pollution from residential combustion sources

Need to reduce use of existing wood-burning fireplaces and stoves

Wood-burning produces particulate matter harmful to air quality and to asthma

City has already legislated new housing cannot have wood-burning fireplaces

City still needs to create incentives for conversion of existing fireplaces to gas-burning mode, eg. at triggering events such as sale or transfer of property; remodeling above a certain $ value

Existing Housing

DBI; Building Code

Incentives for conversion from wood burning to gas burning fireplaces (e.g. offered as incentive program in Santa Clara County)

Noise control requirements for new housing construction (as mapped by DPHand adopted by City Planning Dept.)

Need for building construction to address noise isolation; e.g. double pane windows; barriers to commercial and roadway noise

Noise as a stressor disrupts the endocrine system, is proven cause of increased susceptibility to upper respiratory infections

City noise model; adoption of noise model in general plan; planning and DBI procedures to use city noise map

Incentives for window replacements (also serves as lead hazard control),

eg. at triggering events such as sale or transfer of property; remodeling above a certain $ value

New construction; particularly infill development ; and existing housing

Noise model complete (Tom Rivard) but not yet translated to modify existing DBI policy and procedures

DBI Noise regulations for new construction modified

Incentives for window replacement

Requirements for air filtration of outdoor air intake for residences located in high-risk air pollution areas (as mapped by DPHand adopted by City Planning Dept.)

Current housing design does not require air filtration  protecting residential units  from outdoor air pollutants; should treat as a CEQA-EIR issue requiring mitigation

Roadway related air pollution exposures damage occupants’ lungs

Assessment:  SFDPH developed air pollution risk assessment map of City (Tom Rivard)

Mitigation: Mechanical ventilation and filtration building code requirement for residential infill development

New construction; particularly infill development

MOH, SFRA, City Planning, DBI;

SF Building Code

Mandate based on air pollution risk map of City

Dust control requirements for construction and grading

Refer to Rajiv’s email and attachments

Yes—dust and PM both asthma exacerbators

Refer to Rajiv’s email and attachments

New construction, including demolition

many

Refer to Rajiv’s email and attachments

FOCUS ON COMMUNITY VIOLENCE REDUCTION STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE HEALTHY HOMES

Target Group:  Residential Property Developers

Design architectural features to reduce potential for crime

Need for lighting and other architectural features to lessen potential for crime

Exposure to domestic and community violence known link to asthma exacerbation

1. Establish Best Practices
2. Provide Incentives

New construction and existing housing

Planning; SFRA, MOH

·         Best practices

·         Incentives