Housing has emerged as the primary health concern for residents of Kent County, according to the latest Community Health Needs Assessment from the Kent County Health Department. The comprehensive report, released every three years, is based on feedback from over 5,000 residents and spans more than 160 pages.
The assessment reveals that the cost of rent in Kent County surged by 36% between 2020 and 2023. This sharp increase has led to widespread concern about housing affordability and stability among residents.
Maris Brummel, a public health epidemiologist with the county, highlighted the significance of these findings. “People were not only concerned about finding and obtaining housing that’s affordable,” Brummel noted, “but also they had concerns about people being pushed out of their current housing.”
The report indicates that a third of the county’s residents live in housing deemed unaffordable, meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing expenses. This financial strain is most acutely felt by renters, with a notable increase in the number of Black and Hispanic residents struggling to make rent or mortgage payments over the past year.
Brummel explained that housing stability is intrinsically linked to health. “Housing is a huge, almost prerequisite to good health,” she said. “If people don’t have a safe, stable place to stay, they can’t really focus on anything else that impacts their health.”
Beyond housing, residents identified other significant health concerns. Access to insurance and medical care remains a critical issue, particularly for immigrants and LGBTQ+ residents, who reported difficulties in obtaining necessary healthcare services.
Additionally, access to healthy foods is a pressing issue for many. Nearly 20% of respondents reported struggling to afford healthy food, or any food at all, within the past year.
This year’s assessment underscores the complex interplay between housing, health, and economic stability in Kent County, highlighting the need for comprehensive solutions to address these pressing concerns.
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