Leaving No Tenant Exposed: Creating Smoke-Free Public Housing

APHA Annual Meeting - October 30, 2012

Presenter Disclosures

(1) The following personal financial relationships with

commercial interests relevant to this presentation existed during the past 12 months:

Sarah A. Mayberry Tina Pettingill, MPH

No relationships to disclose

Learning Objectives

Explain the case for smoke-free multi-unit housing.

List three facts for adopting smoke-free policies that will influence Public Housing Authorities to take action.

Identify strategies to advance voluntary smoke-free Public Housing Authority policies.

Outline

Who We Are

Why Create Smoke-Free Public Housing Authorities

Growing Support for Smoke-Free PHAs

The Changing Landscape of SF PHAs Across the Nation

Maine

Steps for SFH Change

Conclusions

Who We Are

Breathe Easy Coalition of Maine

Smoke-Free Housing

Coalition of Maine

Maine Tobacco-Free Hospital

Network

Maine Tobacco-Free College

Network

Funded by the Partnership For A Tobacco-Free Maine, Maine CDC/DHHS.

Who We Are

Our mission is to protect Maine residents in multi-unit buildings from involuntary exposure to secondhand smoke.

Provide technical assistance, resources and tools to landlords, tenants, property management companies, public health professionals and others in designing and advocating for the implementation of voluntary smoke-free housing policies.

What We Know about MUH and SHS

There is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke.

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating &

Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) says that “the only means of effectively eliminating health risks associated with indoor exposure is to ban smoking activity.”

Smoking-related fires are the leading cause of residential fire deaths in the United States.

US Surgeon General, 2010; ASHRAE, 2008; USFA, 2010

Why Should Property Owners/Managers Adopt 100% Smoke-Free Policies?

• Turnover Savings

• Fire Danger

• Property Damage

• Insurance Savings

• Happier & Healthier Tenants

• Liability

Smoke-Free Policies Save Money

Studies have shown that unit turnover costs are 5-10 times more expensive when smoking was allowed in the unit.

Some insurance companies will award discounts on comprehensive fire casualty plans for being 100% smoke-free.

Growing Support for SFH

Growing Support for SFH: HUD

Who is Going Smoke-Free?

• Public and Tribal Housing Authorities • Private Developments (both subsidized and

market-rate) • “Mom and Pop” landlords • Condominium Associations • Group Homes and Transitional Housing

Developments • Behavioral Health Facilities • Nursing and Assisted Living Facilities

Smoke-Free Housing: An Evolving Norm

Hundreds of thousands of units of market-rate and subsidized housing are smoke-free all across the U.S.

Includes large, multi-state companies, moderate sized companies, small companies, and single-family home rentals

Public Housing Authorities Are Going Smoke-Free

2000: 3 PHAs nationally

2005: 32 PHAs nationally

Today: 300+ PHAs smoke-free nationally in 27+ states

SF Public Housing in Maine

5% 10%

35%

55%

70%

90% 90% 95%

100%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Percentage of Public Housing Authorities in Maine with 100% Smoke-Free Policies

Compiled by the Smoke-Free Housing Coalition of Maine

Why the Focus on Public Housing?

What is Public Housing? Publically-owned safe, quality, affordable housing for eligible low-

income people, such as families, elderly, disabled and handicapped.

Who Lives in Public Housing? Residents are often low-income, people of color, recent immigrants,

chemically dependent, and/or mentally ill.

90% of our time inside with almost 50% in the home- home is most common source of exposure to secondhand smoke.

Why the Focus on Public Housing?

The percentage of non-smokers exposed to secondhand smoke continues to decrease BUT low-income persons are exposed at much higher rates:

1999-2000 2007-08

Below poverty level: 71.6% 60.5%

At/above poverty level: 48.8% 36.9% (CDC MMWR, September 2010)

Low-income housing tenants in ME prefer smoke-free housing at a higher-rate than market rate.

Tips for Connecting with PHAs

Find your state, local and regional PHAs: http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/public_indian_housing/pha/contacts

Connect with State Housing Authority – attend partner meetings, exhibit & present at conferences.

Create smoke-free housing through new construction/rehab by getting your State Housing Authority to include smoke-free housing in their low-income housing tax credit programs.

Build Allies in the subsidized housing industry – turn those who are already smoke-free into your champions.

Direct mail and earned media can be useful tools in gaining acceptance for SFH in your community.

SFH Policy Implementation Steps

1. Make a plan. Start by creating a plan to make the entire residence smoke-free. Gather support/survey tenants. Do not grandfather tenants. 2. Hold a Meeting. Explain benefits that a smoke-free building will bring them (safety and health). Gather with tenants to discuss the change. There may be resistance, but remember, non-smoking tenants have rights under their leases, too. 3. Inform Tenants. Review the legal information concerning your rights and your tenants' rights- be clear with them about the timeline & policy. Properly prepare everyone – keep it positive. 4. Amend New Leases. Change the language of your lease to include your new smoke-free policy. When new tenants sign on, your policy will be crystal clear. 5. Promote Your Status. Begin advertising your smoke-free status to gain new tenants who appreciate a clean air environment.

For More Information

Smoke-Free Housing Coalition of Maine www.smokefreeforme.org

info@smokefreeforme.org

(207)874-8774

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