U.S. Dept. of Housing & Urban DevelopmentrA M
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Office of Public and Indian Housing
Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control
SPECIAL ATTENTION OF: NOTICE: PIH 2009- 21 (HA)
Regional Directors; State and Area
Coordinators; Public Housing Hub
Directors; Program Center Coordinators;
Troubled Agency Recovery Center Directors;
Special Applications Center Director;
Public Housing Agencies;
Resident Management Corporations;
Healthy Homes Representatives
Subject: Non -Smoking Policies in Public Housing
Issued: July 17, 2009
Expires: July 31, 2010
Cross Reference:
24 CFR 903.7(b)(3)
24 CFR 903.7(e)(1)
1. Purpose. This notice strongly encourages Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) to implement
non7smoking policies in some or all of their public horsing units. According to the American
Lung Association, cigarette smoking is the number one cause of preventable disease in the
United States. The elderly and young populations, as well as people with chronic illnesses, are
especially vulnerable to the adverse effects of smoking. This concern was recently addressed by
the Family Smoking prevention and Tobacco Control Act, P.L. 111-31, signed by the President
on June 22, 2009. Because Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) can migrate between units in
multifamily housing, causing respiratory illness, heart disease, cancer, and other adverse health
effects in neighboring families, the Department is encouraging PHAs to adopt non-smoking
policies. 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. Smoking is also an important source of fires and fire -related deaths
and injuries. Currently, there is no Departmental guidance on smoking in public housing.
2. Applicability. This notice applies to Public Housing.
3. Background. Secondhand smoke, which is also known as environmental tobacco smoke
(ETS), is the smoke that comes from the burning end of a cigarette, pipe or cigar, and the smoke
exhaled fiom the lungs of smokers. ETS is involuntarily inhaled by nonsmokers, and can cause
or worsen adverse health effects, including cancer, respiratory infections and asthma. The 2006
Surgeon General's report on secondhand smoke identifies hundreds of chemicals in it that are
known to be toxic. The report (The Health Consequences oflnvoluntary Exposure to
Secondhand Smoke) is located at www.edo.gov/tobacco/data statistics/s /index.htin.
Secondhand smoke causes almost 50,000 deaths in adult non-smokers in the United States each
year, including approximately 3,400 from lung cancer and.another 22,000 to 69,000 from heart
disease.
Secondhand smoke exposure causes disease and premature death in children and adults who do
not smoke according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
www.epa.gov/smokefiec/healtheffects.html.
There are over 1.2 million residents who reside in public housing. Residents between the ages of
0-17 represent 39 percent of public housing residents. Elderly residents over the age of 62
represent 15 percent of public housing residents. That accounts for at least 54 percent of public
housing residents that could be at increased risk to the adverse effects of cigarette smoking.
There are also a considerable number of residents with chronic diseases such as asthma and
cardiovascular disease who are particularly vulnerable to the effects of ETS. Secondhand smoke
lingers in the air hours after cigarettes have been extinguished and can migrate between units in
multifamily buildings.
Based on data from the U.S. Fire Administration(USFA) of the Department of Homeland
Security, there were an estimated 18,700 smoking -material fixes in homes in 2006. These fires
caused 700civilian deaths (otlrr than firefighters'), and 1,320 civilian injuries, and $496 million
in dircetpropeity damage vrww.n a.org/assets/files/PDF/OS.Siiioldng.12d In multifamily
buildings, smoking is the leading cause of fire deaths: 26 percent of fire deaths in 2005
www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/l)df/publications/Residential_ Stmeture and Building Fires.pd£
4. Policy Discretioa PHAs are permitted and strongly encouraged to implement a mon-smoking
policy attheir discretion, subject to state and local law. Some PHAs have established smoke-free
buildings. Some PHAs have continued to allow current residents who smoke to continue to do so,
but only in designated areas and only until lease renewal or a date established by the, PHA. Some
PHAs are prohibiting smoking for new residents. According to a state -funded anti-smoking
group, the Smoke -Free Environment Law Project of the Center for Social Gerontology, there are
over 112 PHAs and housing commissions across the country that have implemented non-
smoking policies. PHAs should consult with their resident boards before adopting non-smoltirig
policies at their projects.
S. PHPlans. PHAs opting to implement a non-smoking policy should update their PHA
plans. According to 24 CFR 903.7(e), their plan must include their statement of operation and
management and the rules and standards that will apply to their projects when the PHA
implements their nonsmoking policy. PHAs are encouraged to revise their lease agreements to
include the nonsmoking provisions. If PHAs institute nonsmoking polices, they should ensure
that there is consistent application among all projects and buildings in their housing inventory in
which nonsmoking policies are being implemented.
6. Imdoor Air Quality (IAQ). According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), toxin-
free
oxinfree building materials used in green buildings help combat indoor air pollution. Good IAQ
includes minimizing indoorpollutants. As discussed above, ETS is known to be an Pdoor air
pollutant; as a result it would be difficult for a PHA to achieve good IAQ in its buildings if
residents are :allowed to smoke, especially indoors. During construction or renovation of
projects, PHAs should consider actions such as installing direct vent combustion equipment and
fireplaces;. providing for optimal, controlled, filtered ventilation and air sealing between living
areas and garage or mechanical areas, and the use of paints said other materials that emit no or
low levels of volatile chemicals (volatile organic compounds or VOCs). Since 65 percent of the
public housing inventory was built prior to 1970, it would be hard for a PHA. to implement
retrofits that could improve IAQ significantly, unless renovation was scheduled. Also, if a PHA
does conduct renovations to improve IAQ without also implementing a non-smoking policy, the
IAQ benefits of the renovation would not be fully realized. A non-smoking policy is an excellent
approach for those PHAs that are trying to achieve improved IAQ without the retrofit costs.
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7. Maintenance. It is well known that turnover costs are increased when apartments are vacated
by smokers. Additional paint to cover smoke stains, cleaning of the ducts, replacing stained
window blinds, or replacing carpets that have been damaged by cigarettes can increase the cost to
snake a unit occupant ready. View the Sanford Maine Housing Authority case study at
bttp://www.smolcefreefonne.org/landlord,pbp?page=Save+Money%2C°/o 3 Cbr%o3ES ave+Your+B
uildin
8. Smoking Cessation National Support. Because tobacco smoking is an addictive behavior,
PHAs that implement nonsmoking policies should provide residents with information on local
smoking cessation resources and programs. Local and state health departments are sources of
information on smoking cessation; see the American Lung Association's (ALA's) Web page on
State Tobacco Cessation Coverage www.lunggsa2.org/cessation2 for information on cessation
programs, both public and private, in all States and the District of Columbia. The National
Cancer Institute's Smoking Quit Line can be called toll -flee at 877 -44U -QUIT (877-448-7848).
Hearing- or speech -challenged individuals may access this number through TTY by calling the
toll-free Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339. PHAs that implement nonsmoking policies
should similarly be persistent in their efforts to support smoking cessation programs for residents,
adapting their efforts as needed to local conditions.
9. Further Information For further information related to this notice, please contact Dina
Elan, Director, Office of Public Housing Management and Occupancy Division at
(202) 402-2071.
lsl I sl
Sandra B. Henrique2 Yon L. Gant,
Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Director, Office of Healthy Homes and
Housing Lead Hazard Control
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