Housing situation, or substandard housing, is a complex social determinant of health, impacting nearly every aspect of human life. Americans typically spent 90% of their time indoors, with two-thirds of this being in the home. More than 500,000 people are homeless in the United States, and that does not include the housing situation in the United States is one of those rights that affects many people, and in turn affects the health for a large part of the population.

The housing crisis not only includes homelessness, the most severe form of burdened housing, but people who are cost burdened with housing as they spend more than 30-50% of their income on just housing. Substandard housing refers to conditions that endanger life, safety, and general welfare of occupants. Conditions common in these inadequate spaces such as presence of mold or asbestos, poor ventilation, and overcrowding predispose residents to chronic disease and injury or exacerbate preexisting conditions, such as asthma and allergies