Public and Indian housing authorities are permitted and “strongly” encouraged to implement non-smoking policies — including smoking cessation at lease renewal — the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced July 17, 2009, signaling that an agencywide shift toward smoke-free federally assisted housing may be in the offing.
AAHSA views this as an encouraging development given that, as HUD noted, elderly populations — which make up 15 percent of the residents living in public housing — are especially vulnerable to the adverse effects of smoking. Even though HUD’s notice only applies to public and Indian housing, it’s possible that HUD’s multifamily office could follow suit with similar guidance. Until that time, the PIH notice provides guidance that can be helpful for providers interested in having smoke free environments in senior housing.
Environmental Tobacco Smoke, officials said, can migrate between multifamily housing units, causing respiratory illness, heart disease, cancer and other ill effects. Fire is another concern. Federal data show that in multifamily buildings, 26 percent of fire deaths in 2005 were smoking-related — the leading cause of fire deaths.
“By reducing the public health risks associated with tobacco use, this notice will enhance the effectiveness of the Department’s efforts to provide increased public health protection for residents of public housing,” HUD said.
PHAs have wide latitude to stamp out smoking, as long as they stay within state and local laws, HUD said. More than 114 PHAs and housing commissions around the country have gone non-smoking in one or more apartment buildings so far, according to the Smoke-Free Environments Law Project at the Center for Social Gerontology, a Michigan-based organization that keeps a running tally of smoke-free policies in public housing.
With this new notice, there could be a broad proliferation of non-smoking public housing policies around the country. Some housing authorities have allowed current smokers to continue in designated areas or until a lease renewal or another PHA-set date arrives, HUD said. Others prohibit new residents from smoking at all. The HUD notice recommends that PHAs consult with resident boards before adopting non-smoking policies at their projects.
Authorities adopting smoke-free rules must update PHA plans and the rules and standards that apply when smoking is prohibited. They are also encouraged to alter lease agreements to reflect non-smoking rules. “If PHAs institute non-smoking policies,” HUD added, “they should ensure that there is consistent application among all projects and buildings in their housing inventory in which non-smoking policies are being implemented.”
Going non-smoking is also a practical and cost-effective way for housing authorities to meet the indoor air quality (IAQ) requirements mandated in the era of “green” building ushered in by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Given HUD’s aging housing stock, costly retrofits might not help bring units in line with the U.S. Green Building Council’s IAQ requirements. “A non-smoking policy,” HUD noted, “is an excellent approach for those PHAs that are trying to achieve improved IAQ without the retrofit costs.”
The HUD notice also says that non-smoking policies can cut the maintenance costs, because apartments being vacated by smokers need more paint, duct cleaning and other expensive refurbishments. The notice, which provides more background on the health consequences of secondhand smoke, contains links to smoking-cessation resources that can help residents kick the habit.
Contact: Dina Elani, director, Office of Public Housing Management and Occupancy Division, (202) 402-2071.