Infiltration of Secondhand Smoke Into Condominiums, Apartments and Other Multi-Unit Dwellings: 2009 (2009)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
A Law Synopsis by the Tobacco Control Legal Consortium October 2009 Infiltration of Secondhand Smoke into Condominiums, 5PCBDDP$POUSPM Apartments and Other Multi-Unit Dwellings: 2009 -FHBM$POTPSUJVN Susan Schoenmarklin Law. Health. Justice. This synopsis is provided for educational purposes only and is not to be construed as a legal opinion or as a substitute for obtaining legal advice from an attorney. Laws cited are current as of September 2009. The Tobacco Control Legal Consortium provides legal information and education about tobacco and health, but does not provide legal representation. Readers with questions about the application of the law to specific facts are encouraged to consult legal counsel familiar with the laws of their jurisdictions. Suggested citation: Susan Schoenmarklin, Tobacco Control Legal Consortium, Infiltration of Secondhand Smoke into Condominiums, Apartments and Other Multi-Unit Dwellings: 2009 (2009). Tobacco Control Legal Consortium 875 Summit Avenue Saint Paul, Minnesota 55105 USA [email protected] www.tobaccolawcenter.org 651.290.7506 Copyright © 2009 Tobacco Control Legal Consortium This publication was made possible by the financial support of the American Cancer Society and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Infiltration of Secondhand Smoke into Condominiums, Apartments and Other Multi-Unit Dwellings: 2009 Susan Schoenmarklin Introduction Key Points The demand for smoke-free apartments and condominiums is soaring, spurred by warnings about secondhand smoke from • Landlords and condo- leading health experts. The 2006 Report of the U.S. Surgeon minium associations General, The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to may prohibit smoking Tobacco Smoke, cautioned that there is “no risk-free level of or refuse to allow exposure to secondhand smoke” and that “even small amounts smoking for new, and of secondhand smoke exposure can be harmful.”1 The report in many cases existing, included a discussion of the infiltration of secondhand smoke occupants. There is no in multi-unit housing and supports the adoption of smoke-free judicially recognized policies.2 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “right to smoke” in a considered the risk of heart attacks from exposure to secondhand multi-unit dwelling, whether the dwelling smoke substantial enough to warn those at increased risk for is privately owned or coronary heart disease to avoid all indoor environments that public housing. permit smoking.3 In 2005, the California Air Resources Board classified secondhand smoke as a “toxic air contaminant” similar • Residents of multi- to diesel exhaust and benzene.4 The Environmental Protection unit dwellings have a Agency classifies secondhand smoke as a Group A carcinogen, variety of common law for which there is no safe level of human exposure.5 For every remedies for stopping eight smokers who die from smoking, it is estimated that one secondhand smoke nonsmoker dies.6 infiltration. Despite the documented health risks of secondhand smoke, a • A resident of a multi- unit dwelling who can perception still exists that banning smoking in the individual show that secondhand units of multi-unit housing is illegal. This publication, which smoke exposure limits debunks such a notion, is an update of the Tobacco Control Legal a major life activity Consortium’s 2004 synopsis on the same topic, and includes recent can use the federal Fair information on smoke-free housing laws and policies. Section I Housing Act to seek explains the right of landlords, condominium associations and to end the secondhand public housing authorities to prohibit smoking in individual units. smoke infiltration. Section II provides solutions for private individuals if secondhand smoke is seeping into their dwellings from neighboring units. • Landlords and condo- minium associations Finally, section III discusses enforcement concerns expressed by can prohibit smoking landlords and the advantages of specifically addressing smoking in their leases and in a lease. This section also provides smoke-free language governing documents, to use in a lease or in condominium bylaws. A committee of although they may be attorneys who represent landlords and tenants developed this able to take action even model language for the Center for Energy and Environment and without such language. the Association for Nonsmokers – Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 1 Section I – Prohibiting Smoking owned apartment complexes and in fact, does not and Smokers in Private and prohibit a private owner of an apartment complex from refusing to rent to smokers.”12 Public Housing On July 17, 2009, HUD issued recommendations The law is clear that in all fifty states a landlord strongly encouraging public housing authorities may chose to prohibit smoking in individual units to enact smoke-free policies in their public as well as in common areas. The law pertains to housing units.13 A number of other HUD opinions private landlords, public housing authorities, and and cases approve the right of a public housing other affordable housing owners. authority to prohibit smoking in properties 14 According to a 1992 Opinion of Michigan’s subject to HUD authority. A January 31, 2007 Attorney General, “neither state nor federal letter from the Field Office Director of the HUD law prohibits a privately-owned apartment office in Detroit confirms the right of local complex from renting only to non smokers, or housing authorities and private owners of HUD- in the alternative, restricting smokers to certain subsidized housing to adopt smoke-free policies buildings within an apartment complex.”7 In in their buildings. In the letter, the author notes 2008, the Idaho Office of the Attorney General’s that a number of housing authorities and private manual for landlords and tenants stated, “Given landlords have voluntarily adopted smoke-free the health risks and environmental issues policies for their HUD-assisted developments, associated with second-hand smoke, more and and that these policies were adopted as a result of 15 more landlords are excluding smokers from local efforts rather than by regulation or law. renting the landlords’ property. This is not a While administrative authorities and judicial discriminatory practice, and Idaho does not have case law recognize the right to prohibit smoking, 8 any laws protecting a tenant’s ‘right’ to smoke.” only one state expressly creates such a right These opinions are relevant to all states. An by statute. Utah’s state law permits landlords extensive search of federal and state laws and to prohibit smoking within an apartment unit 16 regulations did not identify any laws or cases by incorporating such a clause in the lease. preventing landlords from prohibiting smoking. Similarly, the Utah Condominium Act allows a Under common law, a landlord has a right to condominium association to develop covenants place certain restrictions on tenants, including and restrictions that prohibit smoking on the 17 restrictions on smoking, as long as the landlord site. Whether a condominium association that does not violate constitutional or other laws.9 had previously permitted smoking in individual There is no state or federal constitutional right units could subsequently vote to prohibit to smoke.10 smoking in the entire condominium complex without any special “grandfather” exclusions for On July 23, 2003, the Chief Counsel of a the units of smokers is subject to debate. In 2006, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) field a District Court in Colorado upheld the right of a office in Detroit issued a letter stating that the condominium association to enforce retroactively right to smoke is not protected under the Civil an amendment banning smoking in all units.18 Rights Act of 1964 or any other HUD-enforced The issue of grandfathering is discussed at length civil rights authorities.11 She pointed out that in a law synopsis from the Tobacco Control nothing in federal law, including the federal Fair Legal Consortium titled Legal Options for Housing Act, prevents landlords from making Condominium Owners Exposed to Secondhand some or all of their apartment units smoke-free. Smoke. The author concludes that courts are “Federal law does not prohibit the separation of likely to enforce smoke-free amendments to smoking and non-smoking tenants in privately condominium documents, even against the wishes 2 of owners who purchased units when smoking was music, offensive odors, or other significant permissible.19 annoyances, and would arguably apply to smoking if the resulting secondhand smoke causes others Section II – Remedies for Residents discomfort or health problems. of Multi-Unit Dwellings Adversely If the seepage problem cannot be resolved in Affected by Secondhand Smoke informal discussions with the smoker, the tenant should approach the landlord with the lease language, the physician’s letter, and any medical Landlords and condominium boards not only test results. The tenant should emphasize that the have the right to prohibit smoking, but in fact landlord has the authority to prohibit or restrict may also be liable under a variety of legal theories smoking in an individual unit to protect the well- for failure to prohibit smoking when a tenant or being of another resident.23 The tenant may ask condominium owner is affected by secondhand the landlord to prohibit smoking in the offending smoke. In addition, the plaintiff may also take unit or pay for the cost of measures to reduce action directly against the smoker. The plaintiff the amount of secondhand smoke entering the may choose from a variety of options when non-smoker’s unit,24 or the tenant may seek less pursuing a claim against a landlord, condominium comprehensive measures, such as asking the board, or the offending smoker, including: smoker to refrain from smoking on outside patios • Voluntary compromises or settlements or in common areas. Aggrieved condominium • A disability claim with the Department owners who are unable to resolve their dispute of Housing and Urban Development or with a fellow condominium owner have recourse its state equivalent to their condominium board and condominium • A small claims court case association.