Obama Administration Bans Smoking in Public Housing

Smoking won't be allowed in public housing starting next year, it was announced Wednesday.

The ban, according to The New York Times, will include more than 1.2 million households nationwide. It encompasses residences, common areas, agency office buildings, and outdoor areas up to 25 feet from the buildings.

The new policy will go into effect early next year but agencies will have 18 months to comply, the Department of Housing and Urban Development said.

New York City has the country's biggest public housing agency, with more than 400,000 residents living in 178,000 apartments, the Times notes.

According to the Baltimore Sun, more than 228,000 public housing units are currently smoke-free because of individual agency rules.

"Every child deserves to grow up in a safe, healthy home free from harmful second-hand cigarette smoke," HUD secretary Julian Castro said. "HUD's smoke-free rule is a reflection of our commitment to using housing as a platform to create healthy communities. By working collaboratively with public housing agencies, HUD's rule will create healthier homes for all of our families and prevent devastating and costly smoking-related fires."

Smokeless tobacco and electronic cigarettes are not part of the ban.

The Sun claims the new policy will cost public housing agencies $7.7 million annually, although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the rule will save $153 million a year on smoking-related healthcare and renovation costs and fires.

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