Opportunity Starts at Home Campaign Releases New Podcast Episode on Affordable Housing and Heat Resilience 

By Ella Izenour, NLIHC Opportunity Starts at Home Intern 

The Opportunity Starts at Home (OSAH) campaign released a new podcast episode, “Exploring the Connections Between Housing, Heat Morbidity, and Climate Resilience.” The episode, hosted by Opportunity Starts at Home intern Ella Izenour, features a conversation with Professor Victoria Kiechel, a practicing architect and faculty member in American University’s School of International Studies’ Environment, Development, and Health Department.   

Professor Kiechel discusses the mounting health risks associated with rising temperatures and underscores the essential role of affordable housing in mitigating heat-related illness. Research shows that low-income households experience disproportionate exposure to extreme heat, placing them at a heightened risk of heat-related morbidity and injury. The episode explores a range of strategies to address this challenge—including cooling centers, reflective “white roofs,” and buildings designed for passive cooling.   

The conversation further explores policy and development approaches that prioritize meaningful community engagement to ensure new climate-resilient housing solutions meet residents’ needs while preventing displacement or “green gentrification.” The episode also highlights the urgent need to increase public awareness of heat-mitigation resources for low-income and marginalized communities, who often face the greatest risks with the fewest tools for protection. The discussion reinforces that affordable, accessible, high-quality housing is central to long-term climate resilience, particularly as extreme heat events become more frequent and severe.  

Listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, and Soundcloud.