News
More Smoke Free Apartment Options and Smoke Free Parks are on the 2014 Agenda
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
KMTV (Omaha)
2014 is starting off right for the Metro Omaha Tobacco Action Coalition and its push to give apartment renters healthier options. The organization is beginning the New Year with one less item on its agenda.
Omaha ranks 2nd only behind Chicago in the availability of smoke free apartments for renters. And members of MOTAC say they have some pretty lofty goals set for 2014 in order to hold that place.
A Mutual of Omaha apartment building in Midtown is the latest property to go smoke free. So far 75 apartment complexes throughout Douglas County have made the switch to go smoke free. But, MOTAC and the Douglas County Health Department have a bigger goal for 2014, they would like to see 129 apartments kick the habit and be smoke free by September of this year.
Smoke free buildings are becoming a major selling point for renters and landlords are beginning to realize they must get on board with the trend or lose tenants.
"It really helps with property managers and landlords when they know that this is a trend and when you don't join the trend it's very likely that you can be left behind,” said MOTAC secretary Aja Anderson.
Along with trying to get more apartment complexes to become smoke free, MOTAC also started a smoke free parks initiative last summer. MOTAC wants to eliminate the risk of second hand smoke exposure at city parks to make for a healthier and safer environment for all.
Right now no Omaha parks have gone smoke free, but La Vista and Lincoln have both introduced some type of smoking policy for their parks. MOTAC is hoping 2014 is the year Omaha Parks become smoke free.
