News and Events

Fair Haven Villages Adopts a Smoke-Free Policy for Staff and Residents
May 15 , 2014

Recently, The Tobacco Partnership of Highlands County collaborated diligently with multi-unit housing property, Fair Havens Villages, to successfully implement a smoke-free policy.

Fair Haven had talked about making the change for quite some time, but never acted upon it. The support that the Partnership provided Fair Havens Villages might have been just the motivation that they needed!

"I'm glad our property is going smoke free because I can't stand cigarette smoke, and for health issues for employees and residents," Said Katherine Wyse, Resident Service Coordinator of Fair Havens Village, the most recent property to go smoke free in Highlands County.

Fair Haven

For property managers and landlords, smoke-free policies can have economic benefits. More than 80% of Floridians are non-smokers.  Many people who do smoke do not permit smoking in their homes.  Given these numbers, many properties have very successfully marketed their smoke-free policy as an amenity, not a restriction.  

Smoke-Free policies can save money by eliminating the need to repair or replace carpeting, floors, fixtures, countertops or appliances damaged by burns or nicotine stains.  At the end of a lease, smoke-free units require less turnover time due to fewer preparation and repainting needs.

The Tobacco Free Partnership of Highlands County will continue to work with other Multi-unit housing properties in the county to promote and encourage the properties to go smoke-free. 

“A home should be a safe place for everyone, especially for children, people with existing health conditions, and the elderly who are more vulnerable to the effects of secondhand smoke,” said Amanda John, the Tobacco Prevention Specialist in Highlands County. “By making sure that residential buildings are 100 percent smoke-free, property managers are protecting tenants from the dangers of toxic smoke and from the risk of deadly smoking-related fires.”

For information on the work of the Tobacco Free Partnership of Highlands County, you can contact Mrs. John at ajohn@quitdoc.com.