Agenda - 05-10-2016 - 1 - Discussion of the Proposed Orange County FY 2016 - 2020 Affordable Housing Strategic Plan

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Attachment B 9 Suggestion #1: Include background information on public health hazards of secondhand smoke in multi-unit housing and commit to providing housing free of secondhand smoke. Include Background Info on Secondhand Smoke: In terms of housing and health, secondhand smoke is an important issue because of the fire safety risk (smoking-related fires are the number one cause of fatal home fires), health (due to exposure from neighboring units), and to minimize maintenance costs when turnover occurs. Specifically, secondhand smoke is a leading cause of asthma and other respiratory diseases for children — diseases that disproportionately affect low-income families. Asthma is one of the top reasons why children miss school, depriving them of precious learning time. Secondhand smoke is a known trigger for asthma, which can lead to expensive emergency room visits — a financial burden on parents already coping with the emotional toll of caring for their sick child (CDC. Asthma: Common Asthma Triggers). In addition, exposure to secondhand smoke can cause sudden infant death syndrome and respiratory symptoms such as cough and wheeze, middle ear infections, and slowed lung growth and reduced lung function in children, and increased risk of stroke in adults (US DHHS, Surgeon General Report, 2006). Children in Orange County are exposed to secondhand smoke in rental housing. More than 1 in 3 nonsmokers who live in rental housing in the U.S. are exposed to secondhand smoke, and 2 out of every 5 children (including 7 out of 10 African American children) are exposed involuntarily to secondhand smoke through their housing (CDC 2015 Vital Signs report). In our region of North Carolina, 1 out of 10 residents smelled secondhand smoke drifting into their home in the past seven days (NC BRFSS, 2014). In North Carolina, there is a significant disparity in exposure to secondhand smoke inside a person's home drifting in from a neighboring apartment or outside by income, education level, and race/ethnicity. In nearly all categories, the rates are two to three times higher for those who are poor, less educated, and Black (vs. White), with the largest disparity seen based on income: Black(non-Hispanic) 15.8% vs. White (non-Hispanic) 8.6% Less than High School 14.4% vs. College Graduate 7.0% Income<$15,000 18.8% vs. Income of$75,000+5.3% Source: NC BRFSS(2014) http://www.schs.state.nc.us/data/brfss/2014/nc/all/outside.html Because current air filtration systems do not filter out the harmful elements of secondhand smoke, a smoke-free policy is the best way to protect children, people with asthma, and others vulnerable populations to the effects of secondhand smoke. Suggested Strategy Edit: Goal 1. 1.10: Improve the public infrastructure through rehabilitation, reconstruction, and new construction that will facilitate affordable housing and economic development. Consistent with the requirement of the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, require that any new construction or renovation be smoke free. (Reference:http://www.njgasp.orq/wp- content/uploads/2015/05/NCAH-News-Release-Smokefree-Housing-Finance-Tax-Credits.pd f) Suggested Action/Recommendation Edit: Goal 1. AR: Require that any multi-family housing units developed on county or other publically owned property, or with support from county funds, be required to have a smoke-free policy consistent with that required by the North Carolina Affordable Housing Finance Agency to receive tax credits.