Starting Aug. 1, all Brainerd Housing and Redeveloppment Authority public housing properties will be smoke-free.
It was learned Thursday that the Brainerd HRA board of commissioners voted Feb. 23 to adopt a smoke-free policy for all properties that will go into effect Aug. 1. This will affect about 325 public housing units, including 162 units at the North Star Apartments, 16 units at scattered sites in the city, 25 units at Valley Trail, 60 units at Brainerd South Apartment, 24 units near College Drive, 18 units at Trail Ridge and 20 units at Valley View. This ban also includes outdoor property, such as the apartment parking lots.
Dale Parks, commission chair, said the Brainerd HRA has been strongly encouraged for the past two years by state housing officials and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to adopt a smoke-free policy. He said the Brainerd HRA commission has been discussing this issue for the past year and late last year surveyed residents on their thoughts on the policy.
“The majority of people who took the survey wanted to not have smoking,” Parks said. “I think it will be controversial but I do know there are people who have been pushing for a ban on smoking for quite some time.”
Parks said the HRA has been contacted by people who wanted smoke-free apartments for their elderly parents but there was no way the HRA could stop smoke from entering other apartments through the ventilation system without an all-out smoking ban. Parks said Morrison County, Pequot Lakes and Wadena HRAs also have adopted a similar ban, along with nearly 50 public housing authorities in the state.
Lucy Nesheim, Brainerd City Council member and a commission member, said the ban will begin Aug. 1, a delay that will give residents time to try to quit smoking.
“ A lot of people have strong allergies to smoke,” said Nesheim. “I think it’s important to discourage something that will jeopardize everybody’s health.”
Smoking can also be dangerous for residents in multi-family buildings in other ways. According to the Smoke Free Communities Multi-Unit Housing Program, a program that promotes smoke-free apartment living in central Minnesota, smoking is the leading cause of residential fire death in the state and around the country. In 2006, smoking caused two-thirds of multi-housing fire deaths in Minnesota. Twenty-five percent of victims of smoking-material fire fatalities are not the smoker whose cigarettes started the fire.
JODIE TWEED may be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.
Comments (33)
Add commentSome Information incorrect
The policy by the board is only for Brainerd HRA public Housing which includes North Star Apartments, Valley Trail Townhomes, Scattered Sites Townhomes, and the Brainerd HRA office.
The survey given to residents was inconclusive. It was up to the board to make a decision.
In Minnesota, smoking caused 100% of fire deaths in multi-family buildings in 2008.
It should say leading cause in Minnesota and around the country.
Nathan Steffenson
Brainerd HRA resident board member.
Just tobacco?
Or marijuana, meth and crack too
enforcement?
Its a nice idea but just who is going to enforce this? The same people who enforce the no smoking rule in a smoke free room at a motel? I predict that next years heating bill at the high rise will skyrocket with all the windows being opened to blow the smoke out.
Ok...
I'm not a smoker, but come on. No smoking in the parking lots? Why not?
Smoking Ban
As a resident of South Apartments, it appears the HRA has dropped the ball again. We were not told of any survey or any pending changes in the rules! We find out about this in the local paper! Are we going to be evicted if we don't abide by the rules? Are we going to be able to smoke in our own apartments? Does HRA realize how many residents smoke? Can we sit in our cars and smoke in the parking lot? Are they going to throw the elderly to the streets that still continue to smoke? Come on HRA, we need to hear directly from you and not the local newspaper.
Good post, Daddy.
Good post, Daddy.
This could save tax dollars!
Just think if they quit smoking they may actually be able to afford to get off public assistance!
Does not include Brainerd South
The Brainerd Dispatch incorrectly reported it was at Brainerd South.
It will be enforced by staff.
As far as the just tobacco comment there are federal laws against the other drugs.
Nathan Steffenson
Brainerd HRA resident board member
Nathan, What about the
Nathan,
What about the parking lot? Isn't that a bit over the top?
Parking lot
The board had some debate about that. I think if it was allowed in the parking lot the rules would not be clear as there is already no smoking at entrances and a few people have tested the limits of where they can smoke.
All board members were in favor of going smoke-free.
Nathan Steffenson
Brainerd HRA resident board member
Why not Brainerd South Apartments?
Nathan,
How was it decided that the Brainerd South Apartments were left off the no smoke list?
Thanks, Jeff
Dispatch Incorrect AGAIN!!
Way to go Dispatch, a story full of untrue information.
I Like it!
Nobody "needs" to smoke, That being said, if residents want to smoke take a walk, get a little exersise burn off some of that unsightly fat while you puff on a heater.
Smokin on the run...
Maybe some entrepreneur could cruise a route of the housing units with a bus and pick up people so the don't have to run across the street to burn one. Then the can stay warm and not worry about slipping and breaking a hip. I agree that smoking isn't necessary and it's very expensive. It always bothers me when people are complain about being broke but they always have money for smokes.
If you dont pay for your rent
you abide by the rules set forth in your housing. Smokers are a detriment to the wellbeing of others.
"If one wants to smoke in
"If one wants to smoke in ones living room, I suggest that person acquire a living room first."
Excellent point.
I am adamantly against government intervention
I am adamantly against government intervention into the lives of private citizens; however, those that are on the public dole should not be treated as most private citizens are and their habits should be under scrutiny.
I think it is absolutely within reason to restrict smoking (and in addition to smoking, drinking) by those who are not fully paying their own way and taking advantage of welfare programs.
If you haven't the money to pay for general living expenses on your own...then you shouldn't be able to partake in any vices.
In fact, I would be wholeheartedly in support of random drug testing of those on welfare to ensure that our tax dollars are not being callously wasted on vices that are above and beyond general living needs. After all, I, as an employee, have taken numerous drug tests as a term of employment, but someone that is living off of my tax dollars doesn't have to prove that they are clean...seems somewhat backward to me.
Herc is right
A lot of these people are not on welfare. They are retired and pay a percentage of their income. Daddy64's post makes it sound like the only residents that were surveyed are the non-smoking variety.
When the taxpayers dollar pays the bills
Then the rules should be: no smoking, drugs, or unmarried couples. Its time we got back to rules and regs for everyone, not just some.
What'll be next?
Government entities can and have restricted a legal product from being consumed in all public buildings, all bars and restaurants and now, some public housing.
Since many if not most private property rentals fall under restrictions placed on them by government entities, wouldn’t it stand to reason private property landlords could soon face restrictions to the extent they will be required to place no smoking orders on all their rentals?
Soon there’ll be Smoking Police.
Bring out the Brown Shirts!
JVC
Does HRA pick and choos?
Why aren’t all the HRA rental buildings subject to this rule?
discrimination?
Can a landlord in the public sector, refuse to rent to someone due to smoking in the public sector?
Mayor Rudy Guilliani (sp) not
Mayor Rudy Guilliani (sp) not to long ago made it against the law to smoke outside in New York City. As a non smoker even I think that is taking it a little too far.
Nathan?
Are you on the HRA Board or not?
The anti-smokers commit
The anti-smokers commit flagrant scientific fraud by ignoring more than 50 studies which show that human papillomaviruses cause at least 1/4 of non-small cell lung cancers. Smokers and passive smokers are more likely to have been exposed to this virus for socioeconomic reasons. And the anti-smokers' studies are all based on lifestyle questionnaires, so they're cynically DESIGNED to blame tobacco for all those extra lung cancers that are really caused by HPV. And they commit the same type of fraud with every disease they blame on tobacco.
http://www.smokershistory.com/hpvlungc.htm
http://www.smokershistory.com/SGHDlies.html
And, all their so-called "independent" reports were ring-led by the same guy, Jonathan M. Samet, including the Surgeon General Reports, the EPA report, the IARC report, and the ASHRAE report, and he's now the chairman of the FDA Committee on Tobacco. He and his politically privileged clique exclude all the REAL scientists from their echo chamber. That's how they make their reports "unanimous!"
http://www.smokershistory.com/SGlies.html
For the government to commit fraud to deprive us of our liberties is automatically a violation of our Constitutional rights to the equal protection of the laws, just as much as if it purposely threw innocent people in prison. And for the government to spread lies about phony smoking dangers is terrorism, no different from calling in phony bomb threats.
If you are on public
If you are on public assistance, you can't afford to have the luxury of smoking. Smoking is a right if you can afford it.
How many times have we read
How many times have we read stories about kids starting fires with cigarette lighters in Brainerd?
Or fires started with discarded cigarettes?
I'm all for restricting smoking in publicly subsidized housing. If you can't afford basic living expenses you sure can afford nicotine.
Most residential fires are
Most residential fires are caused by cooking and heating equipment. I suppose next you'll self-righteously deprive them of heat and stoves. That would be just like you vindictive persecutors.
Yeah! Let's take away their
Yeah! Let's take away their stoves! LOL!
Sounds like someone needs a smoke.
Vincent, point of clarification
"Government entities can and have restricted a legal product from being consumed in all public buildings, all bars and restaurants and now, some public housing."
Respectfully, when you say "Government entities" it gives the impression that some bureaucrats in the executive branch imposed a regulation all on their own that prohibits smoking in all public places.
The MN Clean Indoor Act is a statuatory law proposed, voted on, and enacted by our legislature. Like it or not we are the ones that voted them in.
I'm not taking a stand one way or another on the HRA's decision, I just wanted to clarify some facts. I know you are familiar with the difference between laws and regulations, but I wanted to make sure that other viewers weren't misinformed.