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San Francisco Board of Supervisors Approve Ban on Smoking Tobacco in Multi-Family Housing

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San Francisco Board of Supervisors Approve Ban on Smoking Tobacco in Multi-Family Housing

Published 12/07/2020

Photo by Nicole De Khors from Burst

The Board of Supervisors approved a ban on smoking tobacco in buildings of three or more units. Introduced on November 3rd, this ordinance faced a vote before the full Board of Supervisors on December 1st. The ban makes San Francisco among 63 cities and counties in California to have smoke-free multi-unit housing and crowning San Francisco as the largest city in the country to adopt a smoke-free policy.

This ordinance amends the Health Code to prohibit smoking inside all private dwelling units in multi-unit housing complexes containing three or more units and all common areas, along with the following details:

  • A violation of the no-smoking ordinance is not grounds for eviction and enforced by the Department of Public Health;
  • Smoking medicinal and adult-use cannabis are exempt;
  • The Department of Public Health (DPH) is required to initiate a public information campaign to raise awareness about the smoking ban;
  • Requires owners or managers of multi-unit housing complexes to remove the exception of child care facilities located in private homes;
  • Requires owners or managers of multi-unit housing complexes to provide certain disclosures regarding the authorization of smoking in specific units;
  • Requires the posting of additional No-Smoking Signs in building common areas.
  • Click here to read the full ordinance.

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