SmokeFree Housing Is Good for Business Good for Health You Are Not Alone In Colorado thousands of multiunit residential buildings prohibit smoking anywhere inside and near buildings andor the entire grounds including ID: 142975
Download Presentation The PPT/PDF document "The Case for Smoke-Free Housing" is the property of its rightful owner. Permission is granted to download and print the materials on this web site for personal, non-commercial use only, and to display it on your personal computer provided you do not modify the materials and that you retain all copyright notices contained in the materials. By downloading content from our website, you accept the terms of this agreement.
Slide1
The Case for Smoke-Free Housing
Smoke-Free Housing Is…
Good for Business
Good for HealthSlide2
You Are Not Alone
In Colorado, thousands
of multiunit residential buildings prohibit smoking anywhere inside and near buildings and/or the entire grounds including:
3,500+
buildings with 83,500 units.700+ buildings managed by 33 housing authorities.
2Slide3
Colorado NAHRO
“
H
ousing
authorities in Colorado have found that implementing smoke-free policies in affordable housing makes good health and business sense for the residents and staff, helps retain residents, and reduces the maintenance and other operational costs.”David Martens, Service Officer, Colorado NAHRO
(
National Association of Housing & Redevelopment Officials)
3
In 2009 the Fort Collins Housing Authority implemented a policy covering 86 buildings.Slide4
Cornerstone Apartment Services
“
The decision to institute no-smoking policies in the 90 Denver apartment buildings Cornerstone manages has been one of the best decisions I have made over the last 15 years. It has significantly reduced maintenance, repair and turnover costs. Furthermore, residents and staff love it.
”
Jim Lorenzen, President4One of the 60-unit apartments managed by
Cornerstone
.Slide5
Save on Maintenance
Reduce the costs of cleaning and repairing carpets, furniture, fixtures, window treatments, priming and painting walls, and general
maintenance.
Lower utility bills and decrease the use of air-treatment systems —
30% less according to estimates by Marriott Hotels.5Slide6
Smoking Damage Costs
6
Reported costs for
damage
caused by smoking$4,500 to $8,000 normal damage
$6,000 to $ 12,000 more extensive damage
Normal turnover costs
$
500-2000
American Lung Association in Colorado study 2014-2015 of four housing authorities and one affordable living communitySlide7
Other Savings & Benefits
Fire risks and fire damage are reduced.
Lower insurance premiums may be possible, negotiate with your insurance provider.
Improves property values because there is less damage caused by smoking and discarded cigarettes.
7Slide8
The Impact of Residential Fires
Cigarettes cause an average of 4% of all residential fires in
Colorado.
In 2010 residential fires caused 36% of all residential fire fatalities, 14% of residential fire injuries, and 7% of all residential property
loss.Colorado State Fire Chiefs Association8Slide9
Additional Benefits
Spend less time dealing with smoking-related
complaints.
Protect the health of your residents and workers — including staff and maintenance. Obtain a free listing at mysmokefreehousing.com
.
9Slide10
The Smoke-Free Advantage
“
While we have certainly seen some exciting market opportunities for businesses over the years, we rarely see such obvious ones
. Frankly, if a private property-management firm had conducted this research, it might be tempted to keep the findings confidential to gain an initial competitive advantage.”Campbell DeLong Resources, Inc.Portland, Oregon
10Slide11
Marketing Niche
85%
of adults in Colorado do not
smoke.
87% of Colorado households report having no-smoking rules.Surveys conducted throughout Colorado indicate that most residents, including low-income populations, would prefer living in a nonsmoking building.11Slide12
Pre-Policy Resident Support
for No-Smoking Policies 2008-2009
66% — Boulder
County Housing
Authority65% — Lakewood’s Eaton Terrace Senior Residences
64% —
Longmont’s Inn Between
families
70.5% —
Salida’s
Mount Shavano
Manor
62% —
Alamosa Housing
Authority
12Slide13
Delta Housing Authority
Resident Support 2012
B
efore the no-smoking policy was implemented
74% supportSix months after the implementation
71% happy with the no-smoking policy.
83% had seen signs.
Smoking complaints down (88% reported none).
83% smoking less, 30% due to the policy.
11% quit smoking due to the policy.
13Slide14
Support For Existing Policies 2009-2015
14
92%
of the residents of the Boulder County and Fort Collins Housing AuthoritiesSlide15
Happy Renters Stay Longer
Coloradans are used to smoke-free workplaces, restaurants, bars, and public places. They expect clean indoor air in their dwellings
too.
Most residents do not want to continue to suffer the health consequences of breathing secondhand smoke when it drifts into their
residences.15Slide16
A Market Advantage
Those who prefer to smoke inside their units are a significantly smaller percentage than those who prefer to live in a no-smoking
residence.
16Slide17
Village at the Buffs
“
When I initiated the no-smoking policy, no residents complained and no one moved out. Since then, our waiting list has grown.
”
Monica Slamkowski,Community Administrator17
The Buffs
is
a 51-unit Section Property
that implemented
a no-smoking policy in February
2007
.Slide18
People Who Implement No-Smoking Policies Never Go Back
“Not one of the
housing providers
who prohibits smoking regrets doing so and none are considering going back to allowing smoking in any unit where it has been prohibited. Many said that once they tried it in one property, they quickly wanted it in all.
” Campbell DeLong Resources, Inc. Portland, Oregon
18Slide19
Are No-Smoking Policies Legal?
Colorado’s Clean Indoor Air Act prohibits smoking in all indoor common areas and specifically allows
housing providers to prohibit tobacco
and/or
marijuana smoking in all or any part of their property, both indoors and outdoors. There is no legal or constitutional right to smoke tobacco or marijuana.No-smoking policies are not discriminatory and do not violate fair-housing regulations. People who smoke are not a protected class according to federal or state law.19Slide20
What is HUD’s Policy?
HUD allows and encourages the implementation of 100% no-smoking policies in public and federally subsidized housing
PIH
notices 2012-25 and 2012-22.20
A HUD tool kit for managers.Slide21
Protecting the Public Health
Each year in the U.S. secondhand smoke causes disease and nearly 50,000 deaths from heart disease, lung cancer, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), among others.
The 2014 U.S. Surgeon General’s Report states that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.
More than 54% of Colorado adults who live in multiunit housing report smoke drifting into their apartment.
21Slide22
The Science is Clear
“
The scientific evidence is now indisputable: secondhand smoke is not a mere annoyance. It is a serious health hazard that can lead to disease and premature death in children and nonsmoking adults.
”22
Former U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona, 2006Slide23
Chemicals in Secondhand Smoke
23Slide24
Marijuana and E-Cigarette Smoke
Electronic (or e-cigarettes) emit secondhand aerosols with harmful chemicals that are harmful to health like benzene, formaldehyde, isoprene, nicotine, n-Nitrosonornicotine, and toluene.
Secondhand smoke from marijuana can cause lung irritation, asthma attacks, and higher risk for respiratory infections. Exposure to the chemicals in secondhand smoke have been linked to lung cancer.
24Slide25
Is Ventilation an Option?
Secondhand smoke cannot be controlled using ventilation or air-cleaning
systems.
Up to 50% of the air in multiunit housing may be re-circulated throughout an entire
building.25Slide26
ASHRAE on Ventilation
“
At
present, the only means of effectively eliminating the health risk associated with indoor exposure is to ban smoking
activity.”“No cleaning, ventilation or air-cleaning technologies …control health risks from environmental tobacco smoke exposure in spaces where smoking occurs.”
26
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) sets the industry standards for
ventilation.Slide27
Implementation Steps
Make sure the policy covers all types of smoking, including tobacco, marijuana, electronic cigarettes and other forms of “vaporizing.”
Involve residents in the process and determine their opinions and needs through surveys before and after implementation.
Seek advice from other housing providers who have no-smoking policies.
27Slide28
Communication Tools
Communicate the policy terms, effective date, and consequence of violations through meetings, in person, and in writing with signatures of all parties.
Educate residents about the health dangers of secondhand smoke and how smoking increases fire risk.
Set up an enforcement protocol with management, staff, and contractors.
28
Consult an attorney
to draft a policy that works for you and complies with local and state laws.Slide29
Additional Steps
29
Provide stop-smoking resources like the Colorado
Quitline
at 1-800-QUIT-NOW, tobaccofreeco.org or coquitmobile.org.Select a uniform effective date and a phase-in period as short as three to six months, but no more than a year. Do not use grandfather exemptions as these cause resident confusion and frustration, distrust of management; and these restrict how you may advertise and enforce the policy until the policy is fully in effect.Slide30
The Most Effective Policies
Smoking should be prohibited:
In all indoor areas and
units.
On balconies, patios, and porches.At all outdoor common areas. At least 25 feet away from any part of a building.30Slide31
No-Smoking or Smoke-Free?Using “
no-smoking” or “nonsmoking” is more appropriate to describe a policy if smoking is allowed on balconies, patios, porches or in
designated
areas on the property.
Why? Residents and staff may still be exposed to secondhand smoke which could lead to fair-housing or other legal complaints.31Slide32
Smoke-Free MomentumUsing “smoke-
free” is appropriate if smoking is prohibited everywhere
on the property
.
The number of smoke-free listings at mysmokefreehousing.com has increased significantly in the last three years.Useful for LEEDs or green point credits.Easier to enforce and reduces complaints.32Slide33
Some Smoke-Free Properties630
apartment buildings, condominiums, senior communities, Section 8 and public housing.* All properties managed by Shea and McWhinney.
The Carbondale Housing
Authority.
* Based on listings at mysmokefreehousing.com33
AMLI at Inverness in Englewood is a 309
-unit
community that has been 100% smoke-free since July 2008.Slide34
Compliance Tools
• Communicate the policy to prospective residents, employees, and visitors on a continual basis. Use signage, newsletters and advertising. Be clear that both guests and staff need to follow the policy.
Visit the property frequently to observe compliance and establish a protocol for dealing with violations.
34Slide35
Obtaining Compliance
Document and investigate complaints promptly and take action to ensure compliance.Offer residents a safe and anonymous way to report violations.
Maintain good sign placement throughout the property such as the international no-smoking symbol
Thank your staff, managers, and residents for their cooperation and help.
35Slide36
Talking Points for Residents
The Indoor
air quality
will be healthier for everybody and protects everyone from the exposure to secondhand smoke.
Safety — lower fire risks for residents and families.Everybody is welcome — people who smoke are welcome but will have to step outside and away from the building to smoke.Less building damage and maintenance
— may help management keep rental rates
stable.
Respect for your neighbors
— smoke has no boundaries and can travel between units.
36Slide37
Condominiums
Review the governing documents.
Educate the homeowners
association
’s board and make a proposal.A percentage of the owners may have to vote and approve any rule changes.Make changes to the governing documents and file them with the appropriate governing
body.
37Slide38
Free No-Smoking Signs
38
http://www.cohealthresources.org
www.gaspforair.orgSlide39
Free Guide for Housing ProvidersThe
2014 Colorado Guide to Establishing No-Smoking Policies in Multiunit Housing. Obtain free copies at
ordertheguide.org
or
call GASP at 303-444-9799.Download at mysmokefreehousing.org.39Slide40
Impact and Insights 40
Now available:
Findings from an18
-month study
provides some important insights for housing providers on the benefits of smoke-free policies, implementation and enforcement techniques, and heads of household opinions.Slide41
MySmokeFreeHousing.org
All Your Smoke-Free Housing Resources Under One Roof
Tips
on how to implement a
policy.Sample leases and resident surveys.HUD toolkits and memos.Enforcement tips, free signage, other web resources.Secondhand smoke information for tobacco and marijuana smoke, and electronic cigarette vapors .41Slide42
Other Web ResourcesMySmokeFreeHousing.com
Lists thousands of multiunit residential buildings in Colorado with no-smoking policies for their entire building or property.Offers a free listing to publicize your buildings.
TobaccoFreeCO.org
Provides information about the Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act.
COHealthResources.orgProvides free signage and other materials.42Slide43
Local and State Resources
Local or state tobacco-
prevention programs may be able to assist
housing providers with:
Surveys and implementation steps.Sample policies and educational materials.Guidance and assistance.Smoking-cessation resources and information.
43Slide44
Statewide Contacts
44
Pete Bialick
Group to Alleviate Smoking Pollution
(GASP of Colorado)
303-444-9799
gaspforair.org
Jill Bednarek, MSW
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
303-692-
2475
colorado.gov
/cdphe/A35-
tobacco