FORT WORTH, TX - Virginia transplant Brandi Pollock thinks her new home is a breath of fresh air. The smoke-free setting at Monterra Village in North Fort Worth, from inside the apartments to the pool area to the roads, was a major attraction. "The neighbors at my Virginia apartment smoked, and it came through the vents into my apartment," said Ms. Pollock, who moved last month with her 8-year-old daughter, Alexis. "My clothes smelled like smoke. It was awful."
Welcome to the latest no-smoking frontier: private homes. Smoke-free housing could become as common as no-pet policies. Nationwide, more landlords are barring tenants from lighting up to reduce neighbors' exposure to secondhand smoke, joining a long list of cities, companies and hotels that have done the same. The Smokefree Apartment House Registry features about 300 listings nationally, up from 11 when it began in 2001.
The U.S. surgeon general has stated that secondhand smoke at home or work increases nonsmokers' risk of heart disease or lung cancer by as much as 30 percent. Twenty-one percent of U.S. adults smoked cigarettes in 2006, the latest data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. California is the leader in smoke-free apartments, with 17 cities, including Santa Barbara and Sacramento, having passed policies. In North Texas, smoke-free housing is scarce. But a handful of new apartment complexes offer smoke-free or partially smoke-free living, reflecting a budding trend.
Owners and managers of local smoke-free properties say they attract more people than they scare away. In addition to health benefits, smoke-free policies lead to lower maintenance costs, increased fire prevention and potential insurance discounts. Monterra Village at Interstate 35W and North Tarrant Parkway claims to be the first totally smoke-free rental community in Texas. "We're happy with the results," said Perry Wallace, vice president of multifamily development for Hillwood, which is building Monterra Village. "My concern was how you approach it. You're telling someone they're not acceptable. That's a hard thing."
Leasing manager Stacie Parrish of JPI said there haven't been many complaints. She recalled how one recent visitor drove off-site to smoke. So far, 58 of 110 new units are leased. Overall, Monterra will have 1,026 smoke-free units in building clusters. The Dakota in Dallas had no trouble filling its smoke-free, 20-unit building, said Kimberly Walker, regional property manager for owner Lincoln Property Co. The new complex has 496 apartments in 25 buildings near Northwest Highway and North Central Expressway.
No smoking is part of a bigger picture for two projects. When Times Square at McKinney's Craig Ranch opens in November, its 313 apartments and all common areas will be smoke-free. But smoking will be allowed in the ground-floor retail outlets. "It has to fit in someone's lifestyle at Craig Ranch," said Steve Everbach, managing partner of Times Square, which sits across from a golf course and aerobics center. "The whole development is centered on healthy living, and someone who has a very active and healthy lifestyle is not someone who smokes."
Lakeside at One-Twenty-One in Lewisville has found that its residents want to walk and bike to nearby Lewisville Lake and "don't want to be anywhere near smoke," said Mitch Vexler, chief executive of developer Dallas-based Mockingbird Properties. Lakeside will allow smoking in 12 of 240 units but not in any of the common areas, including all balconies and the dog park, when construction is finished this fall. So far, all but one of 46 leases are for smoke-free units, Mr. Vexler said.
In Dallas-Fort Worth, tenants must sign a no-smoking agreement in addition to their lease and face eviction after three violation notices. Rents for a one-bedroom, smoke-free apartment start in the $730 to $1,100 range, similar to other luxury units in the area.
No state or federal laws protect a person's right to smoke, and neither does the Constitution, said Betsy Feigin Befus, special counsel for the National Multi Housing Council. "Some apartment operators are fearful of upsetting tenants or believe they don't have legal standing to ban smoking," she said. "Apartment operators are happy with tenant feedback after limiting smoking."
The slow adoption of no-smoking policies in Texas is frustrating, said Jacque Pettersen, a smoke-free housing consultant near San Antonio. She mainly deals with complaints from renters about secondhand smoke but is starting to field more phone calls from builders and property managers seeking advice about making their properties smoke-free.
She and other industry experts expect the trend to spread across Texas and the nation, driven by consumer demand. Various national surveys show as many as 80 percent of renters prefer living in a nonsmoking building or section. Craig Ranch, Hillwood and Lincoln Property will consider other smoke-free housing projects, officials said.
Source: Dallas News