Healthy Built Environments

Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties have a new tool for understanding heat in our communities. In July 2023, the three counties partnered with CAPA Strategies and hundreds of volunteers to create a map of hotter and cooler areas around our region. The information has now been published in the Portland Metro Region Heat Watch Report. This is important because extreme heat is dangerous. Temperatures can be very different, even from one neighborhood to the next or one town to the next. Some groups are more at risk for serious health effects from heat, including children, older adults, outdoor workers, low-income households, people who are socially isolated, pregnant women and people with certain medical conditions. Understanding which areas get hottest can help emergency workers, city planners, healthcare, public health and other agencies work to improve neighborhoods and help the people who live and work in them. 

Clackamas County, working with partners, is currently asking the community to envision a Sunrise Corridor Community where people can thrive. The future of the Sunrise Corridor Community depends on planning for the needs of the entire area—residents, businesses, travelers, wildlife and the environment. Through this project, the Sunrise Corridor Community is working with the county and others to develop a shared vision and recommend actions for land use, housing, community and environmental health, transportation and other infrastructure investments necessary to support a thriving future for residents, businesses and travelers. Clackamas County Public Health Division is supporting this project to incorporate health considerations throughout the process. 

This new community health mapping tool uses community stories and health indicator data to illustrate local experiences and  answer the primary question: What does public health look like for the people who live in different neighborhoods in the region and near brownfield sites and how can redevelopment be used to improve health for those impacted? Brownfield sites are former industrial or commercial sites where future use is affected by real or perceived environmental contamination. This tool can be used by agencies, community leaders and community organizations to better understand health factors in the environment, to make community decisions, prioritize health equity, apply for funding, and better understand how the health of our environment compares to other areas in the Portland metro area. 

This plan is in process and will identify strategies to make our built and natural environment more resilient to a changing climate with the primary purpose of protecting our most vulnerable community members from threats like warming temperatures, extreme winter weather and poor air quality from wildfire smoke. This plan will work in collaboration with other emergency response and preparedness plans and efforts by the county to mitigate and reduce harm from natural and man-made hazards.  

Road design influences travel behavior and safety for all road users, whether they are walking, biking, taking the bus or driving. Connected and expanded sidewalk, bike and transit networks can improve health outcomes by promoting better air quality, increasing levels of physical activity, decreasing injuries from motor vehicle crashes and improving mental health.  

A safe, stable, and clean place to live in a thriving neighborhood promotes health. Housing matters—not having a roof to sleep under, or being constantly worried about making rent, impacts both physical and mental health, and reduces one’s ability to meet their basic needs and hold a job.

Where your housing is located matters—it affects what jobs are available to you, the length of your commute and largely determines where your children go to school. Housing also influences access to amenities like parks and grocery stores. Whether a neighborhood has large trees, complete sidewalks, traffic calming measures, pocket parks, etc., depends on the history of investments in that neighborhood. This means that some neighborhoods have greater walkability, better air quality and less exposure to violence and crime than others.  

The quality and condition of your housing matters—safe, quality housing that is free of rodents, air contaminants, leaks, and is well insulated and ventilated protects you from toxin exposures and disease. Homes with energy efficiency improvements can reduce the burden of utility costs and homes with accessibility enhancements allow residents to age in place which preserves social connections and improves mental health.  

Community development decisions, land use policies, and zoning codes have historically and continue to shape the communities we live in and who lives in our communities. They determine where and how we build the places we live, eat, shop, work and play—and how we get to and from those places. Land use policies determine where our food is grown, where goods are produced and manufactured, and where and what services and housing stock is available. For these reasons, studies show that your zip code often carries more weight on your health than your genetics. 

Often overlooked when it’s going well, maintaining clean air, water, and soil supports overall community health and well-being. Adapting to a changing climate and more extreme weather conditions like extreme heat or cold keeps our vulnerable community members safe from disease and death. Additionally, when we have access to parks and other greenspaces, we can be active and connect with others which enhances our physical and mental health.