Public Housing Authorities have another couple of weeks to implement smoke-free policies.
Back in December 2016, HUD officials decided to initial smoke-free policies in all low-income conventional public housing. The rule took effect in February 2017, and requires all housing authorities to have their smoke-free policy in place by July 31.
Under the new policy, these areas are required to be smoke-free:
- All public housing units except for mixed-finance project units.
- All indoor common areas (e.g., community facilities, public housing offices, laundry rooms, daycare centers).
- Outdoor areas within 25 feet of public housing and administrative office buildings.
Also under the policy, use of these products is prohibited: Cigarettes, pipes, cigars, water pipe tobacco (hookahs).
According to HUD, the reasons for the new policy are health-related.
"Eliminating smoking indoors and close to the building is the only way to fully protect people from secondhand smoke," a release from HUD states."In addition to protecting residents and employees from secondhand smoke, smoke-free policies create healthy environments that encourage people who smoke to quit or attempt to reduce smoking."
The HUD website’s guidance for local housing authorities includes a procedure that ends with eviction for people who don’t follow the rules.
For more information on HUD’s policy, click here.
