Overcoming City Council Fears about Multi-Unit Housing Policies

Audience:   Local health departments, community based organizations, local coalition members, and legislative champions of smoke-free multi-unit housing can benefit from this poster presentation. 

Key Points:  Local city councils and municipal administrators facing budget deficits, law suits, and other municipal crisis tend to be reluctant to adopt Smoke-Free Multi-Unit Housing ordinances, due to lack of understanding, misinformation from opponents, and unfounded fears of law suits or fiscal burdens.  In 2011, the Smoke-free Marin Coalition partnering with the Marin County Tobacco- Related Disease Control Program, assisted two city councils (Fairfax and Larkspur, California) in enacting progressive smoke-free multi-unit housing ordinances.  City council fears of opponent lawsuits were overcome through ongoing education of local media and councils using informative press packets, as well as public education forums, preparation of council packets, technical assistance during study sessions, testimony during council hearings, and continuous communication with city managers, clerks and attorneys as well as individual city council members. The Coalition sustained momentum through relationship building and evidence-based technical assistance during critical times of the campaign, implementation and enforcement stages.  The Coalition efforts resulted in progressive legislation and a lasting partnership with local city governments. 

Educational Experience: Participants will gain an overview of how city council fears of smoke-free multi-unit housing ordinances were successfully addressed from the poster presenter who personally worked on the ordinance campaigns.

Benefits:  Lessons learned by local coalition members provided by this session will benefit anyone working on stalled smoke-free multi-unit housing ordinances during the campaign, enactment, implementation, or enforcement stages.