King County Housing Authority Smoke Free Building Initiative

1. King County Housing AuthoritySmoke Free Building Initiative Policy and Implementation Plan

2. Initial Steps • Smoke Free Workgroup meetings • Resident Advisory Council input • Senior Staff input

3. Smoke Free vs. Non-Smoking Given the fact that we had a large stock of existing housing as well as a HOPE VI development underway and several other upcoming renovation projects, the workgroup decided to delineate between smoke free and non-smoking properties. Smoke-Free properties would be those buildings/sites that had never been smoked in (even by construction and/or redevelopment workers) and would not allow smoking anywhere on the property. Non-Smoking buildings would be classified as buildings where smoking had been allowed in the past but, at the time of implementation, would only be allowed in designated areas outside the building.

4. Building Selection • Plaza 17 – a 30+ year old 70 unit elderly/young disabled building in Auburn, WA • Northridge II – a 30+ year old 70 unit elderly/young disabled building in Shoreline, WA • Nia Apartments – a brand new 40 unit elderly/young disabled building in White Center, WA

5. Why These Buildings To Start In? • Plaza 17 and Northridge II were part of the initial King County Department of Health Smoke Free survey and the KCHA internal smoking assessment survey. It was found that both buildings had only a handful of smokers living there at the time of the surveys. • Nia Apartments is part of our Greenbridge HOPE VI development and had yet to start construction at the time ideas were being tossed around for converting buildings to smoke free. We decided to make this building “smoke free” because we could control the fact that smoking had never and would never happen at that site during construction or its occupancy.

6. Resident Input/Feedback • Resident Advisory Council – we pitched the idea to the RAC groups well before the scheduled implementation date. All groups were supportive and wanted their buildings included in the pilot! • Resident feedback from Resident Meetings-we held informational meetings at all buildings to introduce the program and answer questions. It became clear that our residents would be our best instrument of enforcement. • Input from Resident Services staff – our support service coordinators at each building were instrumental in facilitating feedback from both the surveys and general resident questions.

7. Implementation Policy Paperwork/Resident Meetings • Property Management / Resident Services • Train site staff on policy paperwork • Hold resident meetings explaining policy / offer cessation services Plaza 17 Northridge II • 3-5 inside smokers • Possible transfers • Enforcement • No designated smoking area • 6-10 inside smokers • Possible transfers • Enforcement • No designated smoking area

8. Policy Language Highlights • Smoking will not be permitted in individual apartment homes or the common spaces of a designated King County Housing Authority community or facility of any type, unless otherwise specified. "Smoke" or "smoking" means the carrying or smoking of any kind of lighted pipe, cigar, cigarette, or any other lighted smoking equipment. • Individual apartment homes are defined as the interior and exterior spaces tied to a particular unit. This includes, but is not limited to, bedrooms, hallways, kitchens, bathrooms, patios, balconies, and unit entryway areas. • “Common spaces” are defined as areas within the building that are open to the public, including but not limited to entryways, community patios or balconies, roof terraces, lobbies, hallways, elevators, management offices, public restrooms, community rooms, community kitchens, stairwells, parking garages and carports, and any other area of the building that is accessible to employees, residents and guests. • The Authority shall inform current residents, new applicants on waiting lists, KCHA employees and KCHA contractors and sub-contractors of this policy.

9. Policy Language Highlights • KCHA shall post “No Smoking” signs at entrances and exits, common areas, hallways, etc., and enforce compliance with this policy. • The Regional Property Manager may designate an area outside of a KCHA building or facility as a “designated smoking area only”. • Any area(s) designated for smoking shall be adequately posted “smoking area only” and proper smoking products collection receptacles placed for the safe disposal of cigarette / cigar butts and lit matches will be provided. • King County Housing Authority management and maintenance employees will be responsible for enforcement of this policy. • All residents will be given two (2) copies of the smoking policy. After review, the resident will sign both copies and return one to the King County Housing Authority portfolio office. The copy will be placed in the resident file.

10. Policy Language Highlights Resident Responsibility • It shall be the resident’s responsibility to inform his/her household members, and guests of this Smoking Policy. • The resident shall prohibit smoking by his/her household members or guests while on the premises that would violate this Policy. 3. Failure to comply or upon repeated violations to this addendum may be cause for lease enforcement action up to and including termination of resident lease agreement.

11. Site Signage Example To ensure the air quality and safety of residents in apartment building name, the King County Housing Authority has declared that apartment building name located at building address is a designated smoke-free building. Smoking is not permitted in any area of the building including individual apartments. Smoking is only permitted in specifically designated areas, if any, outside of the building. All areas where smoking is permitted must be at least 25 feet from any building entrance, including individual apartment windows and/or patios and building access doors. All residents, KCHA employees, and guests must abide by the following rules and regulations.

12. Pilot Program Performance Management It will be essential to measure the effects of this pilot program on these first two buildings. To accomplish this, the group has identified the following metrics: • Compare unit turnover costs between a “regular” building turn and a non-smoking building turn • Compare insurance premium costs before and after establishment of smoke free building • Perform air quality studies before and after implementation • Resident survey results • Reasonable Accommodation Request decrease?

13. January 1, 2008 • Program begins January 1st • Results management will commence in June of 2008 and continue until December 2008 • Group will present results of pilot program to the Board in January 2009