More Than 200,000 Families in New York’s Public Housing Now Protected from Secondhand Smoke

Albany, NY (July 30, 2018) – A new smokefree housing rule from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) goes into effect today, protecting more than 202,000 families residing in public housing throughout New York State from secondhand smoke.  The American Lung Association applauded the new rule, which recognizes the serious health threat posed by secondhand smoke, and its ability to linger in rooms and even travel between homes in multi-unit housing. There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. 
 
“Everyone deserves the opportunity to lead a healthy life, and ensuring homes are free from the risks of secondhand smoke is a critical step for the health of residents,” said Jeff Seyler, Chief Division Officer of the American Lung Association. “This is especially true for children and those who are more vulnerable to the impact of second smoke, such as those living with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Today we’re making a healthier future for New York State and our nation.”
 
In November 2016, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced a rule requiring all federally-owned public housing to become smokefree by July 30, 2018. This rule will protect close to two million Americans nationwide from being exposed to secondhand smoke in their homes, including 690,000 children. 
 
The American Lung Association celebrates this long-awaited health protection, following more than a decade of advocacy for the passage of the rule as well as support for the implementation of smokefree housing policies in local public housing authorities.  As of July 30, 2018, the federal rule prohibits the use of lit tobacco products and hookahs inside all indoor areas and 25 feet from all federally funded public housing authority buildings, ensuring all residents are protected from secondhand smoke.   The 84 federally funded public housing authorities with 215,000 units.  These communities are currently home to approximately 202,500 households.
 
New York State has additional public housing authorities that do not receive federal funding and are therefore not required to comply with the new federal rule.  However, over 500 public housing authorities throughout the state have already implemented some smokefree policies in one or more of their buildings, and last year as part of a broader tobacco package, New York City passed a law requiring policy disclosure to applicants and residents of all housing authorities. 

 

“Today we celebrate this important step to protect health of residents in New York State.  We are eager to see the policy in full effect, and we hope that this rule will inspire more of New York’s multi-unit residential buildings, college campuses and shared spaces to go smokefree as well,” said Kristina Wieneke, Director of Advocacy for the American Lung Association in New York.
 
Secondhand smoke exposure poses serious health threats to both children and adults. Damaging health effects in children and adults include lung cancer, respiratory infections, worsened asthma symptoms, heart attacks and stroke. For residents of multi-unit housing (e.g., apartment buildings and condominiums), secondhand smoke can be a major concern even if people don’t smoke in your unit, as smoke can migrate from other units and common areas and travel through doorways, cracks in walls, electrical lines, plumbing, and ventilation systems.