In January 2024, the American Academy of Nursing (Academy) hosted a policy dialogue titled “Dual Crises: The Intersection Between Housing and Health Equity.” The Academy’s Expert Panel on Health Equity convened this dialogue to discuss the role of stable, safe, and affordable housing in health promotion, especially for select population groups and communities, and to address policy solutions to advance the accessibility of housing. Participants in this dialogue were able to hear from leading experts on the causes and consequences of the homelessness crisis and explore nursing’s role in advancing housing policies that will improve health for all.

• Housing is a Social Determinant of Health That Impacts Physical and Mental Health
  Homelessness affects many aspects of health. People experiencing homelessness have an elevated risk of infectious diseases. They also face poorer access to care for health conditions and challenges in regularly taking medications. Homelessness impacts mental health with elevated stress and challenges to social identity.
• Homelessness Disproportionately Affects Historically Marginalized and Minoritized Groups
  The burden of homelessness falls disproportionately on Black Americans and other historically marginalized and minoritized racial and ethnic groups. This inequitable burden has been perpetuated over time through policies such as redlining, which impacted certain groups’ ability to access housing. Dismantling this burden will involve intentional effort toward ensuring equitable policies.
• Strategies to Address the Homelessness Crisis Must be Multifaceted and Target Prevention
  A myriad of strategies is needed to tackle the homelessness crisis. Expanded access to shelters and transitional care, housing vouchers, and more psychiatric beds are needed to address the current consequences of the crisis. Long-term prevention strategies such as streamlining the approval processes for housing development, simplifying funding applications, and ensuring adequate minimum wage are also crucial. 
• Availability, Adequacy, and Affordability of Housing Must be Improved
  For too long, housing has been considered a commodity rather than a human right. Housing must be built and provisioned with availability, adequacy, and affordability as top priorities. Policies should promote these priorities with a focus on equity. 
• Nurse-Led, Collaborative Research is Needed to Develop and Evaluate Programs of Care for People Experiencing Homelessness
  Nursing expertise is essential to develop programs of research that effectively engage affected communities and promote health. Nurses are well-positioned to lead community-based participatory research essential to developing and implementing interventions that support and promote health for people experiencing homelessness.

Guest Panelists

• Paul Leon, BSN, RN, PHN, FAAN, Chief Executive Officer, National Health Care & Housing Advisors
• Adey Nyamathi, PhD, ANP, FAAN, Distinguished Professor, Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, University of California, Irvine 
• Cheryl Killion, PhD, MA, MS, RN, FAAN, Associate Professor, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University  
   

Planning Committee

• Chair, Planning Committee: Priscilla Sagar, EdD, RN, ACNS-BC, CTN-A, FTNSS, FAAN
• Chair, Health Equity Expert Panel: Teri A. Murray, PhD, PHNA-BC, RN, ANEF, FAAN
• Christopher Coleman, PhD, MPH, MS, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN 
• Patricia K. Bradley, PhD, RN, FAAN 
• Patti Ludwig-Beymer, PhD, RN, CTN-A, NEA-BC, CPPS, FAAN 
• Deborah Stamps, EdD, MBA, MS, RN, GNP, NE-BC, CDE®, FAAN 
• Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD, NNP, FNAP, FAAN 
• Nelda Martinez, PhD, RN, FAAN