Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) is the most recent addition to the growing list of public housing organizations to ban smoking. Dozens of public housing authorities throughout the US, as well as private companies, have initiated smoking bans for residential units, common spaces, and offices. The policies are prompted by financial and health concerns. A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that states could save $500 million per year by implementing a ban on smoking. By eliminating smoking on the premises, owners could save on the costs of cigarette-related fires, building renovations, and states could save on health care expenses related to smoking and secondhand smoke exposure. In separate studies, the CDC estimates that 44 million American adults smoke cigarettes, exposing them to the nation’s leading cause of preventable death. The habit can cause rheumatoid arthritis, colorectal cancer, and diabetes in addition to exacerbating asthma, respiratory diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. Secondhand smoke adversely affects the growth of children and the health of seniors. Last week, PHA became the largest housing authority to adopt a smoke-free policy. The authority’s 80,000 residents will be under a smoking ban beginning August 5, 2015. Current residents are not expected to quit cold turkey, nor will residents face eviction if they are found in violation of the band. Instead, the housing organization, with support from Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), has designated $100,000 for cessation programs to help residents with compliance. After nine months with this format, PHA will assess data collected on existing residents regarding their violations and participation in cessation classes. How that data will be used is unknown. Leases signed after August 5, as well as select rehabilitated units, will be subject to termination after the fourth violation of the smoking ban....

Banning smoking in apartments is often a controversial move that might be met with some resistance, especially if the building didn’t originally have this as a restriction. If residents are smokers, they might resent being told that they cannot smoke in their own homes. However, there are many benefits to banning smoking in a community. Beyond the health concerns—second-hand smoke can infiltrate other apartments—smoking increases the risk of fires. Additionally, property managers who put a non-smoking clause in the lease could often see a greater ROI on their units when they turn them over. When a resident smokes in the unit, the property manager must pay to get the smoke smell out, as well as pay to repaint walls discolored by smoke and to fix any damages caused by cigarette burns. Related Companies recently decided that not allowing smoking in their communities would greatly benefit both them and their residents.  The real estate company announced that its national portfolio would be completely smoke free. For those residents who are smokers, once it’s time for their lease to be renewed, they must sign an amended copy signifying that they know they cannot smoke in their units. Of course, a smoke-free initiative at a community might be hard to enforce, especially if a smoker isn’t caught in the act. But having written warnings, fines, or even the threat of eviction in the lease agreement will seriously curtail smoking in the community. Though smokers might not be thrilled with the smoke-free clause, overall, Related has already received positive feedback from their initiative. Jessica Fiur is News Editor at Multi-Housing News. Find more of her insights on multifamily living on the “What Renters Want”...