Politics & Government

New Bill to Require Building Owners to Disclose Smoking Policies

The bill, proposed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, would require residential building owners to inform potential tenants and buyers of their smoking policy.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed a new law on Wednesday that would require owners of New York City residential buildings with three or more units to create their own smoking policy, whether smoking is allowed or not, and notify current and prospective tenants that smoking is or is not allowed inside apartments, on rooftops, balconies and courtyards.

“Smoking kills and people have the right to know if they are going to be exposed to secondhand smoke,” said Mayor Bloomberg, in a statement. “We pursued this proposal in response to complaints from New Yorkers. It won’t ban smoking in residential buildings, only ensure that New Yorkers can choose a smoke-free place to live.”

The new law is similar to other residential building disclosure policies, such as if a building has a history of bed bugs or has lead paint in the apartments or throughout the building. The law would require landlords to provide a disclosure form to tenants and apartment buyers stating the building’s smoking policy before a lease or sale is finalized. Similar laws have been passed in Maine and Oregon, and several local jurisdictions.

Find out what's happening in Ditmas Park-Flatbushwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The law would not be a ban on residential smoking, but rather a way for prospective tenants to know whether smoking is permitted or not.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Ditmas Park-Flatbush