In early 2010, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino declared that the residences of the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) would become smoke-free within no more than four years, making the BHA the largest public housing authority in the U.S. to declare its intention to institute a comprehensive smoking ban. Douglas Levy, PhD, MIHP faculty member and Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, is working within this important public health initiative to study the effects of secondhand smoke exposure and pollution in Boston public housing and the future impacts of this critical policy change. High smoking rates, high asthma rates, and multiunit housing converge to place non-smoking residents at increased risk for adverse health conditions, including asthma complications, heart disease, and lung cancer. Dr. Levy has been a team member on the Boston Smoke-free Housing Working Group, a coalition of BHA administrators, members of the Boston Public Health Commission, tenants and tenant advocates, and academics. The Working Group has been engaged in a multi-pronged effort to develop the smoke-free policy and engage tenants and building managers to ensure its successful implementation. Alongside these initiatives, Dr. Levy has organized a number of research studies to evaluate the implementation and effects of the policy change. Pilot and feasibility studies have evaluated current levels of secondhand smoke exposure among BHA residents. Ongoing work is investigating the effects of season and building characteristics on levels of tobacco smoke pollution within common areas of BHA buildings using air quality monitoring technologies. Preparations are underway for a comprehensive evaluation documenting the reductions in secondhand smoke exposure anticipated under the new smoke-free policy. The results of these studies will provide crucial information for other public housing authorities nationwide as the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development calls on them to adopt smoke-free policies. Dr. Levy’s work is funded by the Flight Attendants Medical Research Institute and the Harvard Lung Cancer Disparities Center.