Administrators say smoking ban yields no evictions

As the deadline for authorities to implement a ban on smoking in public housing arrived Tuesday, local residents have had mixed reactions about its impact since Chattanooga’s implementation in January.

The public housing smoking ban prohibits smoking tobacco products in all indoor common areas, administrative offices, living units and outdoor areas within 25 feet of the buildings.

The ban was announced in December 2016 by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and local public housing authorities had nearly 18 months to begin enforcement.

Residents who repeatedly violate the ban could be fined and, eventually, evicted.

But Chattanooga Housing Authority Executive Director Betsy McCright said the agency has not had to evict any residents so far.

“It has not been a huge problem or a huge additional burden to us since we put it in place,” she said.

There has been the occasional smoking complaint, she said, but apart from that, it has not been a big deal.

When administrators receive complaints, they follow up with a visit to the alleged offender and issue a warning.

While most residents agree the ban is an overall positive move, the same people pointed out that smoking is an extremely difficult habit to break, especially for those who’ve been doing it nearly all their lives.

“[Nonsmokers] were very, very happy that there was no smoking in the building.” – BETSY MCCRIGHT

Curtis Reed, 56, has been smoking cigarettes since he was 9 years old. It’s become part of his life now, he said.

“It’s hard [to quit] for the people who’ve been smoking,” he said.

But he still thinks the ban will have a positive impact on residents’ health, and it may even be an incentive for people to quit. It’ll just take time, he said.

Anyone who wanted to quit smoking was able to attend classes offered by the housing authority in partnership with the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department, McCright said. There isn’t a class being offered now, but with enough demand a fall session could be available, she said.

The group that really embraced the change was the non-smokers, McCright said.

“They were very, very happy that there was no smoking in the building,” she said.

Teresa Daffron is one of those people.

“Most of the people who live here have kids,” she said. “You shouldn’t be smoking inside around kids, anyway.”

But Daffron also thinks the government shouldn’t be telling people what they can or can’t do in the privacy of their homes.

Housing authority maintenance manager Ricky Hinton said he’s heard several complaints about the ban.

“These people are set in their own ways,” he said. “You come in here and set all these rules, it’s affecting their lives.”

In any case, he hasn’t seen many residents smoking outside the parameters set by the rules, he said.

STAFF PHOTO BY ERIN O. SMITH An East Lake Courts resident, who didn’t want to be named, smokes along the road beside his apartment Friday. A new rule that bans smoking in public housing developments went into effect nationwide Tuesday.