Welcome to the Smokefree Apartment House Registry. The Registry was created in 2001 in response to the many requests we have received from the public for information about rental units which are free of drifting tobacco smoke.

It is unfortunate that in some apartment and condominium buildings, tobacco smoke can drift from one unit into another, or can enter an apartment or condo from halls, stairs, balconies, patios and courtyards. Most apartment residents are aware of the health hazards of secondhand tobacco smoke and wish to be protected from it.

However, many apartment owners are not aware that they have the choice to designate all or part of an apartment building or complex as non-smoking. Requiring no smoking in an apartment building reduces maintenance costs, prevents fires, and may result in insurance discounts.

We offer a free vacancy listing service on our web site www.smokefreeapartments.org to apartment owners who have chosen to establish a total or partial non-smoking policy in their buildings. In buildings of 16 units or more, at least 50% of the adjacent units must be maintained as non-smoking to be included in the Registry. We also suggest that balconies, patios, courtyards, enclosed common areas and outdoor common areas where amenities are located (swimming pool, children's play area) be required to be non-smoking as well. We recommend that buildings of 10 units or less be maintained as entirely non-smoking.

See our Model Smokefree Policy section for a choice of leases that can be used to legally require no smoking in designated areas including units.

A smoking-permitted area could be established outdoors, sufficiently distant from units and outdoor amenities so that non-smoking residents are not affected by the smoke. A designated area for smoking could include a table, chairs, umbrella and ash urn.

The movement for non-smoking sections and entire buildings is now worldwide. Please visit our Links section for a list of Registries in other states and nations. In addition, www.craigslist.com includes non-smoking listings.

Currently in California, more that 86% of adults do not smoke. A statewide survey commissioned by the American Lung Association of California in 2004 showed that approximately 82% of California apartment residents prefer to live in a totally non-smoking apartment building, or at least in the non-smoking section.

Please feel free to contact us directly if you have questions which are not answered by the material on the website. E-mail: smokefreeapartments@pacificnet.net or Phone 818-363-4220, Fax 818-363-2260. We offer technical assistance to the housing industry.