NEW YORK CITY – Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) is pushing for property owners to make their apartments smoke-free. If such a law passes, New York would be the first major city outside of California cities to ban smoking in apartments, and could signal a bellwether for the policy’s expansion into other metro areas.
Mayor de Blasio’s push to expand smoking bans continues policies established by his predecessor, Michael Bloomberg (R). According to the New York Post, the de Blasio Administration plans to retain health-advocacy groups (at $9,000 each) to push initiatives targeted at rental property owners and managers, pressing them to go smoke-free. Currently, the city’s existing smoke-free housing programs are voluntary.
In his long-term sustainability blueprint, de Blasio said that the city “will work to pass legislation requiring multi-unit housing to have a smoking policy and to disclose it to residents and prospective residents.” He has yet to unveil any official proposed language.
New York City already has some of the nation’s most stringent anti-smoking laws, with bans extending to bars, restaurants, workplaces, sports venues, outdoor parks and city property.
Source: New York Post, NYC.gov