Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Smoke Free Housing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Supervisors direct staff to draft smoke‑free multi‑unit housing ordinance after health presentation and student testimony
Summary
Public‑health staff presented a proposed smoke‑free multi‑unit housing policy covering tobacco, vape and cannabis; board members and public commenters supported next steps and the board directed staff to continue outreach to property owners and prepare ordinance language with enforcement/implementation options.
Yolo County public‑health staff asked the Board of Supervisors for direction to draft a smoke‑free multi‑unit housing (MUH) ordinance that would prohibit smoking (including vaping and cannabis) inside apartments and in many common areas.
Staff said MUH policies protect residents with higher vulnerability — children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems — and that HUD‑funded complexes already are required to be smoke‑free. The presenter said only three non‑HUD apartment complexes in the unincorporated county would be directly affected by the county adopting a MUH ordinance, comprising roughly 560 residents, and that more than 100 jurisdictions in California have adopted similar rules.
The presentation described enforcement as primarily landlord‑driven through lease language, with complaints handled by a designated governing agency and graduated warnings and fines if needed. Staff noted implementation options including grandfathering existing lessees, phased implementation windows, or designating smoking areas off‑site; they also said outreach to property owners and multilingual education for families would be part of implementation.
Public commenters endorsed the proposal. Liz Hendricks of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network cited local survey data showing more than 90% of MUH residents reported being bothered by drifting secondhand smoke and urged the most comprehensive countywide rule. The county’s health council also submitted a letter of support.
After board discussion — including questions about legal effects on existing leases and potential unintended effects on adjacent neighborhoods — Vice Chair Barajas moved and the board unanimously directed staff to move forward with outreach to property owners and to return with a draft ordinance that takes into account designated smoking areas and enforcement practices.
What’s next: Staff will continue outreach to property owners and residents and return to the board with draft ordinance language and implementation options, including phased timelines and grandfathering for existing leases if appropriate.
