New Guidance about Smoke-Free Public Housing Final Rule

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Department of Housing and Urban Development

 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING
AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

WASHINGTON, DC 20410-5000

GENERAL DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY
FOR PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING

Dear Executive Director,

On February 3, 2017, HUD’s regulation entitled, “Instituting Smoke-Free Public Housing Rule became effective. The Rule prohibits the use of all lit tobacco products and hookahs (or water pipes) inside all units, common areas, PHA administrative offices, and in all areas within 25 feet of buildings.

This will reduce the risk of fires, exposure to second-hand smoke, and smoke-related maintenance costs, benefitting all PHA staff and residents—including more than 760,000 children and 329,000 senior residents. PHAs that administer public housing have 18 months to fully implement a smoke-free policy, by July 30, 2018.

HUD and its public health partners are committed to providing you with resources to support your smoke-free implementation process. To help you with planning and evaluating your community’s existing smoking policies, HUD issued new guidance yesterday on Instituting and Enforcing Smoke Free Public Housing Policy. It includes information about:

  • Amendments to PHA Plans
  • Lease Amendments
  • PHA Flexibility
  • Signage
  • Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS)
  • Funding
  • Designated Smoking Areas

The guidance offers enforcement and monitoring tools, encourages graduated enforcement, and clarifies requirements for reasonable accommodation requests. It also provides links to HUD’s Smoke-Free Toolkits and Action Guide.

In addition to this guidance, HUD is developing a series of upcoming fact sheets and webinars. I encourage you to consult these resources in developing and implementing your community’s Smoke-Free policy.

Thank you for working to improve the lives of your residents and building safer communities.

Yours in service,

GDAS Jemine A. Bryon Signature

Jemine A. Bryon