News Release
Brainerd HRA Adopts Smoke-Free Policy
BRAINERD, MINN.-  The Brainerd Housing and Redevelopment Authority Board of Commissioners has recently adopted a smoke-free policy for their public housing properties.  The policy goes into effect August 1, 2011, and would eliminate smoking on all Brainerd HRA public housing properties. 
“With strong encouragement from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development along with the health, safety and financial benefits of adopting a smoke-free policy it became clear that this decision makes sense for our residents,” said Dale Parks, Board Chair of the Brainerd HRA Board of Commissioners. 
According to the American Lung Association, cigarette smoking is the number one cause of preventable death and disease across the United States. The elderly and young populations, as well as people with chronic illnesses, are especially vulnerable to the adverse effects of smoking and secondhand smoke exposure. A smoke-free policy is the only way to eliminate secondhand smoke exposure and protect the health of all residents. 
In Minnesota, smoking caused 100% of fire deaths in multi-family buildings in 2008.  The average dollar loss per residential structure fire was nearly $20,000 per incident.  Approximately 25% of victims who die in smoking-related fires in the United States are not the smoker whose cigarette caused the fire. 
“With almost 50 Public Housing Authorities across Minnesota having adopted similar smoke-free policies, we believe the Brainerd HRA is making a positive step in ensuring a healthy, safe environment for all of their residents,” said Alicia Bauman, Coordinator for Smoke Free Communities Multi-Unit Housing Program—a program that promotes smoke-free apartment living across Central Minnesota. 
For more information on Smoke Free Communities Multi-Unit Housing Program visit http://www.smokefreecentralmn.org .   The Brainerd HRA can be reached at (218) 828-3705. 

Disclosure: Nathan Steffenson who runs this site (brainerdupdate.com) is also on the Brainerd HRA Board of Commissioners