{"id":850,"date":"2015-12-04T19:38:06","date_gmt":"2015-12-04T19:38:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/affordablehousingonline.com\/blog\/?p=850"},"modified":"2016-12-02T19:31:58","modified_gmt":"2016-12-02T19:31:58","slug":"smoking-ban-proposed-for-all-public-housing-properties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/affordablehousingonline.com\/blog\/smoking-ban-proposed-for-all-public-housing-properties\/","title":{"rendered":"Smoking Ban Proposed for All Public Housing Properties"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"PackCigs\"<\/p>\n

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Note:<\/strong> In November 2016, HUD announced that the rule will\u00a0become official policy nationwide. Read more about this on our blog here.<\/a><\/p>\n

A controversial policy<\/a> proposed by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) was recently announced, which would disallow\u00a0the smoking of tobacco products on all Public Housing premises.<\/p>\n

While this is only a proposed rule, and not yet official policy, this would be a historic decision\u00a0made to improve the quality of life on Public Housing properties. Each housing authority with a Public Housing program\u00a0would be required to\u00a0implement a smoke-free policy within 18 months of the final rule’s publication. This would apply only to properties with a\u00a0Public Housing program, and extend to scattered-site and single family Public Housing locations, but not to mixed finance project properties because those buildings are\u00a0owned by a private entity.<\/p>\n

Smoking would be banned in all indoor areas, such as living units, indoor common areas, and administrative buildings. The policy would also be enforced within\u00a025 feet of Public Housing buildings. This proposed\u00a0rule would affect more than 700,000 units (500,000 of which have elderly or disabled tenants), and 775,000 children. Housing authorities would also have the discretion to restrict smoking in additional outdoor areas (such as playgrounds), provide dedicated outdoor smoking areas, or even make the entire grounds smoke-free.<\/p>\n

It is important to note that housing authorities would still provide assistance\u00a0to persons who smoke, they just would not be allowed to smoke on the premise.<\/p>\n

HUD clearly defines banned tobacco products as cigarettes, cigars and pipes. There has not yet been a decision on use of water pipe tobacco smoking tools (hookahs) or\u00a0electronic nicotine delivery systems (e-cigarettes), but HUD is seeking public comment\u00a0for guidance. The notice hints that HUD is leaning towards banning e-cigarettes, even though a decision has not been made. It is noted that e-cigarettes\u00a0may contain hazardous chemicals such as lead, and cause acute nicotine toxicity in children. Also, an\u00a0e-cigarette and the vapor coming out of it may look like a tobacco cigarette, so it would be difficult\u00a0to enforce a policy in which e-cigarettes are allowed, but tobacco cigarettes are not.<\/p>\n

All information about the smoke-free policy would be included on the tenant’s lease so that the rules\u00a0can be easily\u00a0identified.<\/p>\n

The main reasons of implementing this rule are to\u00a0improve the air qualify and health of residents and staff, and to reduce risk of fires and maintenance costs on Public Housing properties.<\/p>\n

Several examples are given throughout the notice explaining why smoking is hazardous not only to the smokers themselves, but also to those around them:<\/p>\n