A new program recently launched in Boston aims dealing with a problem that often goes hand and hand with the lack of affordable housing: access to healthy food.
When Massachusetts began the Chapter 40B Affordable housing program its goal was to keep people from getting priced out communities. Over the last decade 80% of all affordable housing united added in Massachusetts have been built with the assistance of Chapter 40B. In other words, 58,000 homes have been created for working families, seniors, and people with disabilities all across the state because of this law.
One problem that arises in mixed income communities is access to healthy food. While working families are able to remain a community, there ability access healthy and inexpensive food remains a problem. If the nearest market or big box retailer is several miles away and they do not have easy access to transpiration, they are going rely on cheap fast food. This unhealthy pattern leads to an increase in rate of obscenity and diabetes. These issues often go unnoticed because of the lack of access of preventive healthcare and urgent care.
Research done by the USDA has shown that having a full service grocery can have a substantial impact the health of a community.
