Smoke-Free Apartments

Cleaner Buildings    -    Happier Tenants    -    A Smart Investment

• Landlords and Property Owners
• Tenants
• Realtors

Landlords and Property Owners

Throughout New York State and across the country, apartment owners have begun to embrace a no-smoking policy as an amenity they can provide for their residents. Why?  Smoke-free buildings save money, attract tenants, protect lives and property, and can safeguard against liability.  For more information and resources, please read on:

• Landlords' and Property Owners' Guide to Smoke-Free Housing
• Frequently Asked Questions   
• Clearing the Air:  Industry Discusses Trend Toward Smoke-Free Housing. UNITS Magazine, December 2007 Set of articles on adopting a no-smoking policy in multi-unit dwellings, including articles on the experiences of property management companies and independent rental owners.
• No-Smoking Policies in Apartments. NMHC Property Management Update, February 1, 2008. National Multi Housing Council article on the legal and financial considerations as well as the best practices for implementing a smoke-free policy.
• There is No Constitutional Right to Smoke: 2008. A law synopsis by the Tobacco Control Legal Consortium explaining why smoking is not a constitutionally protected right.
• ASHRAE Position Statement on Environmental Tobacco Smoke. Information produced by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers on the design, installation and operation of heating, ventilating , and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems in consideration of the health consequences of secondhand smoke exposure. It states: “At present, the only means of effectively eliminating health risk associated with indoor exposure is to ban smoking activity.”

Landlord Toolkit

• Steps to a Smoke-Free Property
• Notification Letter to Residents
• Facts About Secondhand Smoke
• Smoke-Free Lease Addendum I
• Smoke-Free Lease Addendum II
• Sample Tenant Survey
• Tips on Enforcement
• Sample Warning Letter to Tenants

         
Contact Us

The Capital District Tobacco-Free Coalition can provide window clings and signage as well as offer assistance with adopting a smoke-free policy. For questions or assistance, email jorr @ setonhealth.org or call (518) 459-2388.

Tenants

If you or your family are exposed to unwanted secondhand smoke in your apartment due to smoke drifting from a neighboring tenant, you can take steps to combat the problem.  On this site you will find information and resources to help you live in a home free of secondhand smoke.

The Capital District Tobacco-Free Coalition is working with landlords and apartment managers to encourage them to adopt no-smoking rules for their buildings.  You can help by directing your landlord to the landlord side of this website where they can learn more about the benefits to adopting a no-smoking policy.

• Tenants' Guide to Smoke-Free Housing
• Federal Fair Housing Act

Resources

• Documenting Your Efforts for Smoke-Free Housing
• Sample Letter to Your Landlord
• Information for Your Physician to Include to Support Your Request for Reasonable Accommodations

Contact Us
For questions or assistance, email jorr @ setonhealth.org or call (518) 459-2388.

Realtors

As public tolerance for secondhand smoke exposure decreases, consumer demand for smoke-free apartments and condos is rapidly increasing.  Health and value-minded individuals and families want to live free from the annoyance and hazards of drifting secondhand smoke.  They also realize that smoke-free properties have lower maintenance costs and higher value. 

For more information on how you can capitalize on this growing trend, read the
Realtors’ Guide to Smoke-Free Housing.

Contact Us
For questions or assistance, email jorr @ setonhealth.org or call (518) 459-2388.

The information and materials contained on this website are for informational purposes only and are not offered or intended to be and should not be construed to be legal advice nor to be a substitute for obtaining legal advice from a licensed attorney.