Residents at Keewaydin Plaza and Sunnyslope Homes in Kennewick have until Sept. 1, 2011, to crush their smoking habit or vacate their apartments and duplexes under rules adopted Tuesday by the Kennewick Housing Authority board.
The new smoke-free rule takes effect Feb. 1, requiring current residents to sign new leases agreeing to the rule by March 1.
But current residents will be allowed to take advantage of a grace period until Sept. 1 if they sign an exemption that will allow them to smoke in their rooms until then. After that, though, they will have to quit the habit or move.
Housing board members also agreed to establish designated smoking areas at Keewaydin Plaza, Sunnyslope Homes and Mitchell Manor -- the authority's three properties in Kennewick which provide about 150 public housing units.
Tuesday's decision came after the five-member board weighed the desire to have a smoke-free policy with concerns of residents who protested being forced to quit smoking.
"This is going to be hard for a lot of our elderly people," said Debbie Hathaway, who lives in the 66-unit high-rise Keewaydin Plaza at Washington Street and 6th Avenue.
"We are being isolated and mistreated simply because we are handicapped," added Caroline Aldridge, a former resident of Keewaydin Plaza who said as a former smoker she sympathizes with those who still have the habit.
Board member Laurie Tufford said she had heard the concerns and wanted to make the smoke-free rule as easy on the residents as possible.
"This has really caused some havoc at Keewaydin. They are very passionate about this," Tufford said.
Jack Robinson, a Keewaydin Plaza resident, suggested the board declare all units smoke-free except those occupied by smokers.
Then when the smokers leave on their own it could declare those units smoke-free.
"It might take a year or two or five, but eventually you'd have everything smoke-free," he said.
Christopher Webb, who sits on the board as a resident of Sunnyslope Homes, said he would support a smoke-free rule if the board would help residents by designating smoking areas or helping them find other housing.
Board president Amy Ward, who is executive director for Tobacco Free Benton-Franklin Counties, supported having designated smoking areas.
"(Without it) we would be encouraging people to break the rule," she said.
Ward said public housing agencies in Walla Walla, Franklin and Umatilla counties already have smoke-free policies.
"We are the doughnut hole," she said.
But Ward did not support the motion to establish the smoke-free policy with designated smoking areas and the six-month grace period. She abstained, while the four remaining board members voted for it.
Board member Tom Moak proposed the grace period, saying it wasn't right to force elderly and disabled residents to go outside in the middle of winter for a smoke.
Home smoking ban in works
Residents of Keewaydin Plaza and Sunnyslope Homes in Kennewick would be banned from smoking in their homes if the Kennewick Housing Authority decides today to proceed with new rules.
The authority board is to meet at 1:30 p.m. in the community center at Sunnyslope Homes, 1915 W. Fourth Place, in Kennewick to consider adding the smoke-free policy to its lease agreements, effective Feb. 1.
About half the tenants in the 66-unit Keewaydin Plaza signed a petition protesting the smoking ban. Tenants who refuse to sign the new lease would be required to move out within 30 days.
Kennewick housing residents may face ultimatum: Kick the habit or get kicked out
KENNEWICK — More than two dozen residents at Keewaydin Plaza on Sixth Avenue in Kennewick are protesting a proposed ban on smoking at the 65-unit public housing facility, saying it would force evictions for those who can't give up the habit.
"I think it sucks. I'm a smoker. This is not fair at all," said Sheila Wolf, who has lived in the Kennewick Housing Authority's high-rise apartments for four years.
Wolf, who uses a wheelchair to get around, is one of 30 people who signed petitions objecting to the proposed change in the lease agreements that would take effect Feb. 1.
Spain says 'Adios' to smoking in bars, cafes
Spain, famed for its smoke-filled bars, corner cafes and restaurants, set the stage Wednesday for a tough new anti-smoking law that will rid the country of its dubious status as one of Western Europe's easiest places to light up.
The bill passed by parliamentary commission calls for transforming all bars and restaurants into no-smoking zones, bringing Spain in line with the European Union's strictest anti-smoking nations and many U.S. states that bar smoking in enclosed public places. It's expected to pass the Senate and become law on Jan. 2.
The law also will make Spain a tougher place to smoke than many other European countries where bars and restaurants are still allowed to have smoking sections, and will prohibit smoking in outdoor places such as playgrounds and the grounds of schools and hospitals.
Library staff call former boss 'bully'
Danielle Krol's exit from the Mid-Columbia Libraries was welcomed by some of her current and former staff.
"She was a visionary and I give her credit for bringing the library out of the Dark Ages, but she was a textbook bully," said Ann Reeves, who worked for 21/2 years under Krol in staff training.
"She had the board convinced she had everything going well, but it was all about control. Staff was forbidden to speak to any board member," Reeves said.
Social service agencies seeing increased demand
People working in social services in the Tri-Cities are seeing a rising demand despite the relatively stable local economy.
They also are seeing government funding cuts for welfare programs and reductions in charitable giving, leaving more and more people falling through the cracks even as the Tri-Cities remains one of the only places in the country seeing consistent job growth.
Directors of three local agencies told the Columbia Basin Badger Club on Friday the statistics are disheartening, especially when they're seeing less money invested in prevention programs that could save society costs in the long-term.
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