First-ever study shows growing demand for smoke-free rental housing
If given the chance, most renters would choose to live in smoke-free housing, according to the first-ever regional study of consumer demand for nonsmoking properties.
Of 400 renters in Clark County and Oregon’s Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties surveyed by Portland-based Campbell Delong Resources Inc., 75 percent said that "other things being equal," they would choose to live in smoke-free housing.
The study also revealed that 19 percent of renters are daily smokers and eight out of 10 renters don’t allow smoking inside. In addition, 42 percent of renters would not be comfortable renting where neighboring tenants smoke, according to the study.
"We get weekly calls from renters who want to know how to mitigate second-hand smoke drifting into their apartments," said Theresa Cross, health educator with Clark County Public Health’s tobacco prevention and education program. "There are far fewer smokers than nonsmokers, and they are becoming less tolerant of second-hand smoke. The tide is turning, and people expect to have fresh air in public and at home."
Clark County Public Health and Community Choices 2010 paid for an extra portion of the study to focus only on Clark County to get a clear picture of the county’s renting climate, she said.
Cross said she hears concerns from landlords about the ability to enforce a nonsmoking rule in an apartment complex, especially if they don’t live on-site.
Washington’s smoking ban does not extend to residences, but Cross said it is legal for landlords to write nonsmoking rules into a lease, and she added that smoking can also be considered a nuisance and that most leases have nuisance clauses.
"The vast majority of landlords have been supportive of our efforts," she said. "Most of them just want some help."
Dave Collicott has managed the 39-building Autumn Chase apartment complex in Vancouver for the past 10 years. Last summer he began to convert some of the buildings to nonsmoking.
"It’s very easy if you set up nonsmoking buildings in the beginning," he said. "Not when you do it like this."
About 20 percent of renters smoke, Collicott estimated and said he figured the percentage of his smoking-friendly buildings should be about the same. He is converting about three at a time, and he said the response has been positive from nonsmokers.
"The big picture is that 75 percent of tenants want nonsmoking housing," he said. "It may take a year or two to get it that way."
And whether there are complaints or not, said Collicott, "We are going to nonsmoking buildings, so smoking is not going to be an option in those buildings."
In Teri Lippelgoos’ two years managing Sterling Heights apartment complex in Vancouver, she said she’s received at most two complaints about allowing smoking in the building – usually when a nonsmoker moves into a unit formerly occupied by a smoker.
"It’s not been a problem for me," she said. "Maybe we’re getting lucky."
While she doesn’t field many complaints, Lippelgoos said she would consider going nonsmoking because of the increased fire hazard. But the headache of switching policies in midstream is not worth it when 97 percent of the units are filled, she said.
Smoking is limited to balconies at Esther Short Commons in downtown Vancouver, and Leasing Specialist Shelle Swanger said the arrangement has worked out well.
"The smokers are happy because they can smoke, and the nonsmokers are happy because smoke doesn’t get into the hallways," she said.
The only complaints Swanger hears of smokers disposing their cigarette butts off of the balconies.
From the complex’s standpoint, the policy is beneficial because less cleaning is required when tenants move out, and there is a reduced fire risk, she said.
In the next phase of the study, Campbell Delong Resources Inc. will interview focus groups of landlords to hear what assistance they need in prohibiting smoking in their buildings.
"Ultimately, we want to see people who don’t want to be exposed to second-hand smoke not (have it) in their homes," Cross said.
The county also is looking to increase the number of voluntary policies prohibiting smoking in apartment complexes, she said.
"It’s really to the landlord’s advantage," Cross added. "It cuts down on damage and turnover costs, and there is a far reduced risk of fires."
