Marshall Crawford, Jr., the President & CEO of The Housing Fund shares how they’re providing healthy housing opportunities for families and individuals in Middle Tennessee.
Q What is your organization’s mission?
Crawford: The Housing Fund provides resources and creative leadership to help individuals and communities create and maintain affordable and healthy places in which low and moderate-income people live.
Q: How are you and your organization working to improve the health and/or well-being of Nashvillians (or Middle Tennessee)?
Crawford: Housing is healthcare. Our mission is to ensure the housing opportunities that are created or preserved have a healthy component. We believe a healthy home is fundamental to the well-being of our clients and their communities.
Q: If you could wave a magic wand and solve one public health issue right now, what would it be?
Crawford: Air quality in homes is critical to being healthy. If I could wave a magic wand, I would ensure all housing structures had central air and heating and that the homes use electric over gas heating systems and appliances.
Q: What are you most optimistic about right now when it comes to your organization and improving health?
Crawford: Right now I am the most optimistic about the resources we have to ensure the unit we acquire, build, or fund, are all energy efficient. By making all of our units energy efficient, we are taking a step toward addressing health issues caused by poor living conditions.
Q: How can people get involved/help your cause?
Crawford: People can get more involved by showing concern about their neighbors and the living conditions of our housing stock. We plan to partner with energy-efficient organizations and companies to ensure we are providing more healthy places in Tennessee. I also encourage everyone to learn more at our website https://thehousingfund.org/.
