OHA release - What you should know:  OHA program helped residential recovery organization make healthy home improvements.  Soaring Heights Recovery Homes in Keizer received $205,000 in grant funding for home safety projects.  The improvements create a healthier living environment for residents in the program.  KEIZER, Ore.--- Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is supporting healthier, safer housing for people in recovery through its Healthy Homes Grant Program, including funding awarded recently to Soaring Heights Recovery Homes in Keizer.  The Healthy Homes Grant Program helps organizations make home improvements that reduce health and safety risks, improve indoor conditions and create healthier living environments for people in Oregon, particularly those in low-income or historically underserved communities. Ensuring safe and accessible housing is one of the goals of OHA’s 2025-2027 Strategic Plan.  Among the plan’s key strategies is implementing policies and procedures “that facilitate equitable access to quality housing.” The Healthy Homes Grant Program is helping OHA to meet this goal.  At just over a year into a three-year grant period, grantees have served 373 low-income households and the 747 individuals living in those homes, making homes healthier in 27 counties across Oregon.  At Soaring Heights Recovery Homes, OHA’s Healthy Homes grant funded upgrades that included new sidewalks to improve safe access around the property; improved fencing to enhance safety and security; window repairs to support energy efficiency and indoor comfort; and pest mitigation to reduce health risks.  “Safe, stable and healthy housing plays a critical role in recovery and long-term well-being,” said Brett Sherry, Healthy Homes Grant Program manager at OHA’s Public Health Division. “Through the Healthy Homes Grant Program, OHA can partner with organizations like Soaring Heights that are creating safer, healthier spaces for people working toward recovery.”  Located in the Salem-Keizer area, Soaring Heights operates four homes that provide transitional housing to nearly 30 adults. The organization provides structured, peer-supported recovery housing for men, women and families, including parents working toward reunification with their children. Residents have access to stable housing while focusing on recovery, employment and transitioning to permanent housing.  “We had to have all the windows replaced because they were old and leaky, and wind was blowing in all the time. The cedar siding was cupped, and water was leaking into the house. It created an unhealthy environment for the people that were living here. These upgrades help ensure our homes are safe, healthy and welcoming places for people in recovery,” said Eric Rasor, executive director of Soaring Heights Recovery Homes. “Support from OHA allows us to focus on what matters most—helping our residents build stability and move forward with their lives.”  For more information about OHA’s Healthy Homes Grant Program, visit Oregon Health Authority’s website.