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rsi. <br /> SNOHOMISH <br /> k HEALTH DISTRICT <br /> +"••+� WWW.SNOHD.ORG Administration Division <br /> April15, 2015 <br /> City of Everett <br /> Ross Johnson <br /> Department of Planning and Community Development <br /> 2930 Wetmore Avenue <br /> Suite 8A <br /> Everett, Washington 982o1 <br /> Re: Proposed 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan and 2015 Action Plan <br /> To the City Council: <br /> The Snohomish Health District urges the Everett City Council to require that an agency seeking <br /> money for projects funded by grants from U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development <br /> (HUD) or other public funding sources asssure that proposed projects have a no-smoking <br /> indoors policy in place to protect their employees from secondhand smoke exposure. <br /> HUD issued a directive in 2009 that strongly encouraged Public Housing Authorities (PHA's) to <br /> implement smoke-free policies in some or all of their housing units. This same directive was <br /> reissued by HUD in May 2012, to protect the residents of PHA's from involuntarily inhaling <br /> secondhand tobacco smoke which "can cause or worsen adverse health effects, including <br /> cancer, respiratory infections and asthma." HUD also noted that the U.S. Environmental <br /> Protection Agency (EPA) states that "secondhand smoke exposure causes disease and <br /> premature death in children and adults who do not smoke." <br /> In addition, the HUD directive noted that a no-smoking indoors policy also lowered the incidence <br /> of fires, immediately afforded improved indoor air quality without additional retrofit costs, and <br /> could yield significant saving in repairs and maintenance. Since many of the applications for <br /> HUD funds for projects in Everett are often for such maintenance and repairs, a no-smoking <br /> indoors policy not only supports better health for all housing residents, but it protects the health <br /> of workers who are performing those services. The 2012 directive can be accessed at <br /> http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=12-25pihn.pdf <br /> In short, the Snohomish Health District asks that the City of Everett honor the spirit of the HUD <br /> directive by requiring agencies that are applying for grants for publically funded housing and <br /> maintenance projects assure that a no-smoking indoors policy is in place for those projects <br /> before funds are allocated, thereby supporting the goal of assuring that all residents and <br /> employees can live healthy smoke-free lives. It is the most judicious use of taxpayer funds. <br /> Respectfully, <br /> 9(11/ <br /> Gary Goldbaum, MD, MPH <br /> Health Officer & Director <br /> 3020 Rucker Avenue, Suite 306 ■ Everett, WA 98201-3900 ■ tel: 425.339.5210 ■ fax: 425.339.5263 <br />