OHFA Annual Plan - Ohio Housing Finance Agency

Universal Housing Elements for Policy Makers to ConsiderIn addition, policy makers should consider health and safety, quality construction andenergy efficiency to respond to housing needs effectively, along with other elements ofhousing (e.g. affordability, location and type). All of these elements are interrelated andimportant when addressing housing needs.• Health and safety standards (in and around the residence) mitigate risks associatedwith lead paint and other environmental hazards.• Quality construction standards with the use of “green” or low maintenance materialscan help address overall design elements (e.g. minimum square footage andrequirements for parking or garages).• Energy efficiency standards reduce the amount of energy used; the cost of energy isrising, limiting these costs helps maintain the affordability of housing.These factors are not, in and of themselves priorities, but rather aspects of housing thatcan be broadly defined as universal or over-arching and should thus be considered whensetting housing policies. Including these standards in housing policies and programs is notan either-or proposition, but rather requires balancing the costs and benefits. Policy makersshould strive to achieve the highest standards in housing while still responsibly using thescarce resources that are available.46