Residents to comment on smoking ban

LYNN – Public housing tenants will be asked their opinions on banning smoking in six local residential complexes over the next several months in line with state recommendations urging housing authorities to adopt smoke-free policies.State recommendations released on Thursday underscored second-hand smoke health hazards and building cleaning costs associated with smoking as strong reasons for adopting those policies. State housing officials urged local officials to talk to tenants before drafting no-smoking policies.?There is evidence that exposure to smoke, direct or second-hand, causes adverse health effects,” the state Department of Housing and Community Development guidelines stated.Lynn Housing Authority and Neighborhood Development Executive Office Manager Charles Mihos said tenant surveys should be done by the end of the summer. Residents living in Caggiano Plaza and Meadow Court, as well as authority buildings on Olive Street, Green Street, Essex Street and Tilton Terrace and on Woodman Street will be surveyed.Mihos said the six complexes have a total of about 360 housing units.?We want to approach it slowly. It?s for the benefit of the tenants,” Mihos said.Mihos stressed the authority has no specific timef rame for banning smoking, and the guidelines note that state officials are not asking local authorities to require tenants to quit smoking.The six Lynn housing complexes are operated with funding provided by state tax dollars while the Henry Wall Towers complex with 180 units near Church Street is federally funded. Mihos said smoking has been prohibited in the complex since last summer and he said “95 percent” of Wall Towers residents indicated they favor smoking prohibitions.Meadow Court tenant Christina Antonopoulis admitted she has struggled to quit smoking but said banning smoking is not fair.?No one should tell me what to do in my house,” she said.Tenant Maria Stamnas agreed and said authority officials should focus on housing maintenance needs – not smoking bans. She said smoking prohibitions will force seniors outdoors to smoke in the snow and rain.