A compromise is born: How landlord and tenant groups jointly developed a policy to protect the health of renters in san francisco

With nearly 62% of San Franciscans housed as renters rather than homeowners, the vast majority of the community lives in close proximity to other people who are not direct family members. While this sometimes means small living quarters and nuisances such as hearing noise from neighbors, renters are commonly being exposed to hazardous drifting secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke has been defined as a toxic air contaminant in California and is related to myriad diseases that are also associated with directly smoking.

In a unique partnership between the Health Department, an agency representing landlords and an organization working for low-income tenants, a strong protection for the safety and health of all tenants was crafted. A mutually agreeable solution was developed to advance a policy proposal that would protect future tenants and ensure that all existing and future tenants know what they are getting into by signing a lease. The joint proposal from two agencies that sometimes find themselves on opposite sides of policy issues elicited broad support from elected officials and positive media coverage that highlighted the health protections and simplicity of the law.

Upon unanimous passage of this housing smoking disclosure ordinance in early 2013, prospective tenants are informed about the current smoking status in every apartment unit in the building they are considering renting. This creates further norm change and empowers individuals with young children, elderly persons, and people living with chronic disease to make choices that allow them to live well in their home.