Posted on 05/01/2015 11:49:22 AM PDT by Drango
EASTON – For the last seven years, John Sharpe has been able to light and smoke cigarettes inside his Parker Terrace apartment.
On June 1, that will end, as the Easton Housing Authority commissioners voted recently to institute a smoking ban inside housing units and common areas at all of the authority’s properties.
Sharpe, 67, has smoked for about 30 years.
“Seven years I’ve lived here and been able to smoke, now all of a sudden, boom, it’s cut like that,” he told The Enterprise on Thursday inside the community room at the Parker Terrace property. “I should be able to do whatever I want in my home, as long as it’s legal.”
The state Department of Housing and Community Development, which oversees housing authorities, sent a letter in April 2014 encouraging local housing boards to consider adopting smoke-free housing policies.
Michael Forbes, the executive director of the Easton and Mansfield housing authorities, said his office sent a survey to residents last June asking if they would support a smoking ban. Of the 184 surveys sent out, 120 were returned and 79 percent were in favor of the ban. The five-member board of housing commissioners then held a meeting last month and allowed residents to weigh in.
“Surveys have found that second-hand smoke is dangerous to people. There’s no good way to block it from going from one unit to another,” Forbes told The Enterprise on Thursday. “If somebody is smoking downstairs from you, it’s going to emanate up into their apartment.”
The commissioners unanimously adopted the smoke-free policy in April. Residents will no longer be allowed to smoke in individual apartments or within 20 feet of any housing authority building.
Cathy Stronach, a non-smoking resident of Parker Terrace, said she is concerned that there will be more littering of cigarette butts when people are forced to smoke outside.
“When people smoke outside, what do they do with the butts that they throw around?” Stronach, 66, said. “Everywhere I look in my yard there are cigarette butts, that’s what has to be stopped.”
Parker Terrace resident Brian Hardy doesn’t smoke, but questioned why other people won’t be allowed to.
“If you pay rent, you should be able to do whatever you want in your apartment,” Hardy, 48, said. “I feel like they treat you like little kids here anyway.”
Housing authority commissioner Sandy Conant, who is also a resident of Parker Terrace, smoked for about 20 years, but no longer does after developing asthma. She voted to institute the ban.
“I’m worried about fires, safety for the people and the harm that secondary smoke causes people,” she said. “Everyone got the survey and they had their opinion. The majority ruled.”
It ain't your home.
[ “I should be able to do whatever I want in my home, as long as it’s legal.”
It ain’t your home. ]
Of course most renters seem to act and think like they “own the place”.... You don’t OWN a place until you are either paying a mortage (technically the bank own it), or have actually paid all debt off against it.
AMEN! Cigs are expensive now!
This can't be true. Smokers are VERY considerate, especially in tax subsidized rentals.
Actually, you never really own the place even then.....what happens if you don’t pay your property tax?
[ Actually, you never really own the place even then.....what happens if you don’t pay your property tax? ]
Property Tax is a Damned abomination.
You don’t OWN a place until you are either paying a mortage (technically the bank own it), or have actually paid all debt off against it......But you still don’t own it. You have to pay rent for ‘Property tax. School tax.”
what are they going to ban next? Bananas? “I’m worried someone might slip on a discardfed banana peel and break an ankle”
Ban barbeques? “I’m worried that a stray spark might catch the woods on fire”
Ban leaf blowers? “I’m worried that a piece of debris might hit someone I n the eye”
Ban radios? TV’s? “I’m worried that a frayed wire might accidently catch the building on fire”
Ban Toasters? “I’m worried that a toaster might accidently fall into a tub at some point”
How about the community ban HER for being such a worry wart and blight on the community?
Uh, no. You're paying a reduced rate due to the "generosity" of the taxpayer who is also probably paying for your smokes.
When you live off the taxpayer, yes, the taxpayer has a right to tell you what you can and cannot do.
True, but at least you are responsible for paying it, not somebody else. When you rent, somebody else is paying it, therefore they have every right to tell you what to do with their property.
The reasons for the Housing Authority to ban smoking may well be bullshit (second hand somke?!?!) ... but the tenants are just that: tenants. Subsidized tenants no less.
Wanna smoke in your home? Buy it, or rent it from a different owner.
Otherwise, siddown, thank the taxpayers (when do welfare recipients ever thank the taxpayers?), and then shuddup!
[ You don’t OWN a place until you are either paying a mortage (technically the bank own it), or have actually paid all debt off against it......But you still don’t own it. You have to pay rent for ‘Property tax. School tax.” ]
Also bear in mind that a Fiat currency based ecomony DEMANDS that Property be taxed. It is a “Progressive” (pro-regressive) idea.
It used to be the only thing that funded the fed-gov complex was tariffs, and that gave them the impetus to control the damned borders, but when they could then start milking the citizens directly border control slowly got pushed to the back burner because the fed-gov bottom line didn’t depend on it anymore and with milking the citizen they could continually grow the fed-gov, once the move to pure fiat currency, it expanded even more rapidly....
When you rent,....Rent or own, my point is you still pay rent for owning your property through School/ property taxes. You NEVER own your greatest investment.
You own the deed.
This is a slippery slope. What's to stop a mortgage company from saying "no smoking"...or no whatever they decide, since they own title to the property?
You own the deed....Until I forget/ don’t pay the School/ property taxes. Then the Sheriff will give me two month’s (60 days) to get my crap out, they will publish a Sheriffs sale in the newspaper and a lawyer will buy it for the $9000 I didn’t pay in taxes for a $260,000 house. Deed? That is a laugh.
Nothing, I wouldn't see an issue with it, although it should be stipulated up front, and you can choose a mortgage company that won't have such restrictions.
Can we get a clue as to what state this is in?
Year, I looked it up, Massachuesetts.
I am surprised that this is now just being institued. They are a latecomer to the smoking bans for housing authorities. But having previously managed rental property, there is a better reason to ban smoking, that is due to the cost of having to clean and completely repaint smoked out apartments.
This becomes a cost saving measure on thier part down the road. And I can tell you at least in my city, the housing authority really does look at costs and manage resources as best they can.
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