Online directory of smoke-free
apartments now available
Minnesota renters looking for smoke-free apartment buildings can easily find them by using a new online directory launched this month by the Association for Nonsmokers - Minnesota (ANSR). Compiled by ANSR's Live Smoke Free program, the online directory, www.mnsmokefreehousing.org, lists more than 250 Minnesota apartment buildings that are 100 percent smoke free. The new user-friendly directory provides renters with a free, easy way to search for apartment buildings in their community that do not allow smoking inside the building, including the individual apartment units.
"Tenants are looking for smoke-free apartments, and apartment building owners want to promote their smoke-free buildings. Secondhand smoke migrating into apartments is a common problem, and renters are unable to protect themselves and their families from the harmful toxins in secondhand smoke," said Brittany McFadden, Director of Live Smoke Free. "The only way to avoid exposure is to live in a smoke-free apartment building."
Live Smoke Free's online directory provides a free listing opportunity for apartment building owners with buildings that are completely smoke free. The Live Smoke Free Web site also includes a model lease addendum for smoke-free buildings and information for building owners interested in adopting a smoke-free policy. Resources for renters dealing with secondhand smoke are also available.
"It has been hugely successful for us, no matter how we measure it. From a property marketing standpoint, we would get calls on a regular basis from renters who wanted smoke-free homes. We are thrilled to be able to provide that for them," said Laurel Zacher, Marketing Manager for Bigos Management, which currently has three smoke-free buildings. "We are also concerned about our current residents' health and happiness. We just wanted to eliminate the threat and nuisance of secondhand smoke that can easily drift from one residence to another."
Renters seeking affordable and subsidized housing can also enjoy the benefits of smoke-free living. Minnesota has the second highest number of public housing authorities with smoke-free policies in the country. There are 19 public housing authorities that have adopted a smoke-free policy for at least one of their buildings. The Dakota County Community Development Agency (CDA) currently has two smoke-free buildings, and is planning for more.
For information on finding or listing a smoke-free apartment building, contact Live Smoke Free at info@mnsmokefreehousing.org or at 651-646-3005.
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