Ten Tips
New Buildings: Establishing a smoke-free policy should be relatively easy in a new building, as your tenants will have no pre-existing expectations:
1. Advertise your units as smoke-free in newspaper and real estate magazine ads.
2. Revise your lease/rental agreements to include smoke-free provisions.
3. Post "Smoke-free Area" or "No Smoking" signage in designated areas.
4. Educate employees on how to field questions regarding the building's smoke-free policy.
Existing Buildings: Phase-In
With an existing building, you may find it easier to "phase in" the changes:
1. Install "Smoke-Free Area" or "No Smoking" signage in designated areas.
2. Remove ashtrays and place receptacles for smoking materials a reasonable distance (or whatever your policy entails, such as "25 feet from all buildings") from facility entrances together with applicable signs.
3. Discuss your decision with tenants and look to get their support.
4. Announce the change to all tenants in the form of a letter. Require tenants to sign a copy stating their intent to comply with the new policy. For existing tenants, their understanding and acceptance of the policy will begin upon renewal of their individual leases, which are updated with the new smoke-free lease language.
5. Educate employees on how to field questions regarding the building's smoke-free policy.
6. Provide your maintenance staff with proper equipment such as door sweeps and caulking materials to temporarily deal with migrating smoke until the phase-in of the policy is complete or if only a portion of the building is going smoke-free.