Smoke-Free Apartments in
Housing Commission
Buildings: Steps to Take
Key Points to be Covered
• Steps you can take to adopt a smokefree policy
• Housing authorities/commissions have
adopted smoke-free apartment policies
in Michigan and in other states; so have
many private landlords
• Resources available to assist you
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Steps to Take to Adopt a
Smoke-Free Policy
1)
Survey Residents:
a) Determine which units have smoking &
nonsmoking tenants.
b) Ask tenants if they would like to live in a
smoke-free building, and identify which
buildings have the most tenants who want a
smoke-free policy.
c) Evaluate tenants’ overall views about
exposure to secondhand smoke.
Steps to Take to Adopt a
Smoke-Free Policy
2) Develop a plan of action:
a) Hold a meeting of all tenants to discuss the
survey results and to discuss plans to
establish a smoke-free policy in some or all
buildings.
b) Use the meeting to do a presentation on
the health hazards of secondhand smoke.
c) Select the building(s) that will implement
the smoke-free policy first, and select the
timing for the policy and what the grandfather
period will be.
Steps to Take to Adopt a
Smoke-Free Policy
3)
Establish date for Housing
Commission Board to discuss and
vote on policy:
a) Discuss policy with Commission members
and determine their views.
b) If a majority of Commissioners support
smoke-free policy, set date for Board
meeting.
c) Notify all tenants of Board meeting and
intention to discuss and vote on smoke-free
policy, following tenant comment period.
Steps to Take to Adopt a
Smoke-Free Policy
4) Adopt and implement policy:
a) Following tenant and other discussions,
vote to adopt smoke-free apartment policy.
b) In policy, decide on the length of the
“grandfather”period for current smokers.
c) In policy, decide whether there will be an
outside designated smoking area and where.
d) Establish time frame for implementation
and notify all tenants.
Steps to Take to Adopt a
Smoke-Free Policy
4) Adopt and implement policy: continued
e) Include the policy in the “house rules”.
f) Post the policy in common areas.
g) Hold smoking cessation meetings for
smokers.
h) Work with tenants to handle complaints as
they arise.
i) Give violators a set number of warnings
prior to starting the eviction process.
You Have Resources
SFELP is available to assist you with:
• Consultations throughout the process of adopting a
smoke-free policy; at no cost to you.
• Written analyses of the policy and legal issues.
• Research on what has been done elsewhere.
• Setting up conference calls with other housing
directors who have adopted smoke-free policies.
• In-person presentations.
• Drafting a smoke-free policy.
• Assistance on implementation issues.
Housing Commissions Have
Adopted Smoke-Free Policies
• Housing Authorities/Commissions
elsewhere have adopted smoke-free
policies, including in: Seattle, WA;
Auburn, ME; Cloquet, MN; Fort Pierce,
FL; Kearney, NE; Madera, CA; Ocean
City, NJ; Sanford, ME; Santa Barbara,
CA; Cadillac, MI; and Plymouth, MI.
• Others are considering doing so.
You Have Resources Online
MISmokeFreeApartment web site:
www.mismokefreeapartment.org
Smoke-free Environments Law Project site:
www.tcsg.org/sfelp/home.htm
SFELP Apartments/Condos site:
www.tcsg.org/sfelp/apartment.htm
To contact SFELP
• www.mismokefreeapartment.org
• Smoke-Free Environments Law
Project www.tcsg.org/sfelp/home.htm
• Phone: 734 665-1126
• Smoke-Free Environments Law Project
The Center for Social Gerontology, Inc.
2307 Shelby Avenue
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48103
Smoke-free Apartment Decal
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Smoke-free apartment listing
• mismokefreeapartment.org web site
includes a listing of smoke-free
apartments:
www.mismokefreeapartment.org/listing.html
• SFELP has compiled the list of smokefree apartments in coordination with
local tobacco reduction coalitions,
health departments, apartment
associations, & others
Smoke-free apartment listing
site
www.mismokefreeapartment.org/listing.html
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