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• Housing authorities ban indoor smoking 

Alan Pape doesn't like going into smokers' apartments. But as the maintenance mechanic for the North Bend City/Coos-Curry Housing Authorities, it's part of the job.

"When you have to stand in them for two or three hours at times and breathe in second-hand smoke -- I know it's not good for me," Pape said.

By March, Pape won't have to worry about nicotine-stained walls or smelling like an ash tray at the end of the day.

The two boards of commissioners for the housing authorities adopted a no-indoor-smoking policy for the apartments and buildings they own. The Woodland Apartments Preservation Inc. and Powers Housing Development Inc. -- apartments managed by the housing authorities -- also passed the same policy. The agencies provide section 8 and low-income housing North Bend, Coos Bay, Myrtle Point, Coquille and Port Orford. Woodland and Powers have units in Empire and Powers. Ned Beman, the executive director of the Housing Authorities, said the policy will likely impact 475 residents. He estimated that about 21 percent smoke.

The policy bans smokers from lighting up inside units or other buildings owned by the agencies. Those who smoke will be allowed to -- but outside at least 10 feet from a neighbor's door. It goes into effect on March 1.

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• Cigarette smoke wafting onto neighbor's patio brings lawsuit 

This is the story of two neighbors and a dispute over secondhand smoke in the Sacramento suburb of El Dorado Hills.

It seems like a minor story, especially with everything that's wrong in California: . . .

In short, the state is a disaster. You'd think with all those problems that a dispute between neighbors over cigarette smoke wouldn't generate much interest but it has garnered more response in the local newspaper than anything the paper has reported in recent memory --and frankly, the Sacramento Bee has been doing a bang-up job uncovering all sorts of graft, waste and corruption in state government. Does this story resonate at the national level? Here's the deal:

A California couple has filed a lawsuit seeking relief from their next-door neighbor's second-hand cigarette smoke.

Richard and Donna Ganguet were the first to move into a gated community for people age 55 and older. That was 2006. Today, they claim the cigar and cigarette smoke wafts into their yard from the property of neighbor has caused an intolerable situation. . . .

The responses --over 600 on the newspaper's website-- are all over the board. . . .

I had a problem a few years ago with heavy smoking neighbors. No amount of pleading would get them to take their smoke somewhere other than directly into my windows.

I fixed the problem by putting an old piece of fish in a bowl, hooking up a small, quiet fan right behind it, and placing the rig right next to the fence. Worked like a charm - inside two days, the neighbors moved their smoking area away from my side and didn't come back to it.

Don't get mad, get even.

What do you think? How do you resolve this problem between two neighbors?

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• Apartment building going smoke-free  

Russell Chandler has smoked for more than 50 years, but he is willing to curb his habit to be more neighbourly.

He is one of approximately 90 tenants of the South Chatham Village Apartments who will have to adapt to a smoking ban coming effect at the apartment complex, Jan 1, 2010.

"There's no hard feelings that they're doing that," Chandler said.

Martin Vanderzwan, chairman of the apartment's board of directors, said the smoking ban has been motivated by reducing the risk of fire and reducing the known health effects of secondhand smoke.

He said most of the residents responded to a survey on implementing the ban.

"It was almost unanimous that we should have a nonsmoking policy," Vanderzwan said.

There are 67 units in the building, including seven or eight units occupied by smokers, he said.

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Push to limit smoking rekindled  

The controversial legislation -- first introduced by Supervisor Chris Daly last year and now being pushed by Supervisor Eric Mar -- would forbid smoking in a slew of new settings, adding to existing bans in bars, restaurants, parks, transit stops and taxicabs.

The bill would expand no-smoking zones to include farmers markets and the outdoor seating areas of restaurants, cafes and coffee shops. Smoking would also be prohibited while waiting in lines at ATMs, theaters, athletic events and concert venues.

Apartment buildings and other multiunit residences would also have new areas with no-smoking signs. Smoking would be prohibited in common areas of apartment buildings, including hallways, elevators, parking lots, lobbies, waiting areas, bathrooms, laundry facilities and recreation areas.

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Agencies ban smoking 

The North Bend City and Coos-Curry Housing Authorities have adopted a no-smoking policy for the apartments and buildings they own.

Also, the Woodland Apartments Preservation and Powers Housing Development adopted a no-smoking policy earlier this month.

The no-smoking policy will go into effect March 1.

Residents will be allowed to smoke outside their units 10 feet from their neighbors' doors. They will not be allowed to smoke inside the units or other buildings owned by the agencies.

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• El Dorado Hills couple sues neighbor over cigarette smoke  

"In a senior community, you think we'll all be compatible and have the same values," said Richard Ganguet, a retired El Dorado County sheriff's deputy.

But three years after settling into their single-family home in El Dorado Hills' Four Seasons development, the Ganguets are suing their next-door neighbor over cigar and cigarette smoke they say wafts into their backyard and house.

Because of the smoke, the couple say, they no longer sit on their patio. They also try to sandwich in swims in the side-yard lap pool between their neighbors' smoking sessions.

Doug Smith, attorney for the neighboring homeowner, Florence Solone, said the issue is a trivial one that should be resolved by neighbors talking with each other, not with a lawsuit in El Dorado Superior Court.

But disputes between neighbors over secondhand smoke are increasingly making their way into courtrooms and city council chambers.

With smoking banned in workplaces, restaurants and bars, Californians are less willing to tolerate the smell of smoke in their houses or backyards, said Robin Salsburg, a staff attorney with the Oakland-based Public Health Institute's Public Health Law and Policy program.

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Menlo Park council considering beefed up smoking ordinance  

The Menlo Park City Council may consider a new smoking ordinance as soon as January that could ban lighting up in apartment and condominium buildings.

At a study session Tuesday night, council members agreed the city's existing 16-year-old ordinance needs updating and should likely include more restrictions on smoking.

However, most council members said they aren't yet ready to go as far as Belmont, where a law banning smoking in multilevel residential buildings went into effect at the beginning of this year.

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• $700,000 Monroe County Jury Award in Careless-Smoking Case  

A Monroe County jury has awarded $700,000 to the insurance company for the owner of a Marshalls Creek building that was destroyed by fire as a result of careless smoking by an employee of an electrical contractor, it was announced today.

The jury deliberated less than two hours at the end of a two-day trial before finding on behalf of Harleysville Insurance Company, represented by the Law Offices of Robert A. Stutman, of Ft. Washington, Pa, in the civil action stemming from the April 21, 2006, fire at the unoccupied building, a former Odd-Lot Outlet store, on Route 209 in Smithfield Township. The 20-year-old building, which was demolished following the fire, was in the process of being renovated into a day care center. Its owner was local developer Frank Riccobono.

Daniel Hogan, Esq., who tried the case for the plaintiff, established that the only possible cause of the fire was careless smoking by one of the two employees of the electrical contractor that had been working in the attic of the two-story structure. Investigators determined that the discarded, smoldering cigarette from the worker ignited the aged attic insulation, which over time loses fire-retardant qualities.

"The worker never admitted smoking while in the attic, where the fire started, that day," said Hogan. "But he testified to carrying cigarettes and a lighter to work and to having been a habitual smoker."

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• VIDEO: Homebuyers face questions on alcohol and smoking under new mortgage rules  

Homebuyers could be forced to provide detailed information about the amount of money they spend on alcohol each month to qualify for a new mortgage under a new clampdown on reckless lending.

In a sweeping review of the mortgage market published today, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) said lenders needed to be far more rigorous about their financial checks of potential borrowers.

It said lenders should delve deeper into homebuyers' personal spending including the amount they spend on alcohol and tobacco. . . .

The new measures, which aim to stamp out risky lending that has been criticised for compounding the financial crisis and tipping hundreds of thousands of homebuyers into negative equity, also include a plan to ban self-certified mortgages, dubbed "liar's loans", and to stop lenders from exploiting consumers who have fallen behind on their mortgage payments.

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Peel pushing for smoke-free apartments, 

If Peel's top public health officials have their way, no one in Mississauga will be able to light up a cigarette in an apartment or condo because it could affect the health of other residents of the building.

Peel officials are lobbying to ban smoking from apartments and condos to reduce the harm caused by breathing second-hand smoke.

If their push is successful, apartment dwellers won't be able to smoke in their own homes.

On Thursday, Peel council will examine a report co-authored by Commissioner of Health Services Janette Smith, and Dr. David Mowat, Peel's medical officer of health.

Their report says Peel Public Health has received complaints from apartment tenants about smoke seeping into their homes.

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• Smoking ban urged for Peel condos and apartments  

Peel's top public health officials are lobbying to ban smoking from apartments and condos in an effort to limit second-hand smoke inhalation.

If their push is successful, apartment dwellers would not be able to smoke in their own homes.

The region's council is going to examine a report co-authored by Commissioner of Health Services Janette Smith, and Dr. David Mowat, Peel's medical officer of health.

Their report says that Peel Public Health has received complaints from apartment tenants about smoke seeping into their homes.

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Health unit pushes for inclusion of apartments, condos in anti-smoking act 

TORONTO — Peel Public Health is pushing Queen's Park to add more restrictions to the Smoke-Free Ontario Act.

The health unit wants the province to enact legislation that protects residents in multi-unit dwellings from exposure to second-hand smoke.

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Peel Public Health wants apartment buildings smoke-free 

Peel Public Health wants Ontario to take its smoking ban one step further by enacting legislation that protects residents in multi-unit dwellings from exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke.

“Peel Public Health has received several complaints from tenants of such dwellings about the potential adverse health effects and nuisance of second-hand tobacco smoke drifting into their living space,” reads a report to Peel Region council, drafted by Janette Smith, Commissioner of Health Services and Dr. David Mowat, medical officer of health. “Non-smoking residents of multi-unit dwellings have the right to enjoy their residence without enduring the negative health effects and nuisance associated with second-hand smoke.”

The Smoke-Free Ontario Act (SFOA) already prohibits smoking in all enclosed public places and workplaces.

Now, Peel Public Health wants Queen’s Park to amend the SFOA to include multi-unit apartment buildings.

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Peel Public Health wants apartment buildings smoke-free 

BRAMPTON - Peel Public Health wants Ontario to take its smoking ban one step further by enacting legislation that protects residents in multi-unit dwellings from exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke.

“Peel Public Health has received several complaints from tenants of such dwellings about the potential adverse health effects and nuisance of second-hand tobacco smoke drifting into their living space,” reads a report to Peel Region council, drafted by Janette Smith, Commissioner of Health Services and Dr. David Mowat, medical officer of health. “Non-smoking residents of multi-unit dwellings have the right to enjoy their residence without enduring the negative health effects and nuisance associated with second-hand smoke.”

The Smoke-Free Ontario Act (SFOA) already prohibits smoking in all enclosed public places and workplaces.

Now, Peel Public Health wants Queen’s Park to amend the SFOA to include multi-unit apartment buildings. . . .

Peel Health’s report on banning smoking in multi-unit dwellings will be presented to councillors during Thursday’s General Committee meeting.

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Public housing smoking ban considered 

A new law could mean the end of smoking within public housing in Stillwater.

Congress passed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act earlier this year, and President Barack Obama signed the bill this summer.

Stillwater Public Housing Authority Executive Director L. Glen Redding said he will draft a revised policy for review and vote by the authority no later than February. The updated policy could go into affect as early as March, he said.

The authority has banned smoking in public housing common areas since 1985, he said, and this proposal would extend the ban to individual homes.

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