Condominiums/Townhouses and Co-Ops

Options for Condo Owners Suffering from Drifting Secondhand Smoke

If you own a condo and a neighbor’s secondhand smoke is entering your unit, you may be concerned about the implications for your health. Breathing secondhand smoke can be dangerous, and when it enters your home, it becomes difficult to escape. This fact sheet outlines six options for condo owners who want to avoid unwanted exposure to secondhand smoke at home. It focuses on options for those whose complex is not quite ready to restrict smoking on the property. If you are renting a condo, there are options available to your unit’s owner, along with some steps you can take. If you rent an apartment, see our other fact sheets on smokefree rental housing at www.changelabsolutions.org/ tobacco-control.

How to Make a Condo Complex Smokefree

Although California laws protect people from secondhand smoke at work and in restaurants, shops, and other places, many residents still find themselves exposed to unwanted secondhand smoke in their homes—especially if they live in multi-unit buildings. In condos, where each unit is owned separately, addressing this problem can be especially challenging. This fact sheet answers common questions about how condo owners can make their entire complex, including individual units, smokefree.