WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued its final rule prohibiting smoking in all public housing units across the country, NPR reports. The prohibition extends to any lit tobacco product (except for electronic cigarettes) in any indoor area of public housing complexes. Individual public housing authorities can add e-cigs to the ban at their discretion.

It also forbids smoking inside public housing administrative offices and outside within 25 feet of the buildings. The agency estimates that the ruling “will save public housing agencies $153 million every year in repairs and preventable fires, including $94 million in secondhand smoke-related health care, $43 million in renovation of smoking-permitted units, and $16 million in smoking-related fire losses.”

The rule provides public housing agencies a year and a half to comply. “Every child deserves to grow up in a safe, healthy home free from harmful second-hand cigarette smoke,” said HUD Secretary Julián Castro in a statement. “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.”

Right now, HUD is leaving enforcement up to individual authorities. “The last thing that we want are evictions,” Castro said.