Moving Multiunit Housing Providers Toward Adoption of Smoke-Free Policies

Figure 2. Potential activities to move landlords toward implementing and maintaining smoke-free housing, Oregon Smokefree Housing Project.

This figure presents activities that can be conducted to move landlords along the stages of change toward implementing and maintaining smoke-free housing. The 5 stages of change are precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. Each stage of change is described along with suggested activities for that stage.

Precontemplation

In this stage, landlords may have never thought about smoke-free housing, have not heard that smoke-free housing is a good idea, and do not know of anyone else who is doing it. Potential smoke-free housing activities for local coordinators to conduct in their communities with landlords in the precontemplation stage were the following:

• Identify and meet with agencies who communicate with local landlords.
• Put articles in landlord trade newsletters; exhibit at trade shows.
• Help get positive news coverage for properties who have adopted no-smoking rules.
• Meet with landlords to get them thinking about their process. Ask: “Did you know?” and share one success story or piece of information.
• Offer assistance.

Contemplation

In this stage, landlords may be interested, but not ready to change. They may be afraid to take action, or they do not know how to go about doing it. Potential smoke-free housing activities for local coordinators to conduct in their communities with landlords in the contemplation stage were the following:

• Be very useful when landlords call for help.
• Meet landlords to get them thinking about their process. Ask them to spell out pros and cons to smoke-free housing, and think about where they are on a scale of 1 to 10. Ask: what would move them to the next level?
• Share concrete stories about companies who have successfully gone smoke-free, with quotes about money saved and long-term benefits. Local stories would be good.
• Follow up periodically to offer assistance.

Preparation

In this stage, landlords would like to adopt a policy soon. They are talking about it within the company and talking to other landlords who have done it. They may be conducting a tenant survey or accessing available tools. Potential smoke-free housing activities for local coordinators to conduct in their communities with landlords in the preparation stage were the following:

• Make sure you keep updated on tools available on websites such as smokefreehousinginfo.com and smokefreehousingnw.org.
• Provide sample lease language, sample tenant letters, and enforcement tools.
• Offer to help staff conduct resident meetings to discuss the no-smoking rule.
• Offer to help landlords conduct a tenant survey.

Action

In this stage, landlords are drafting language for leases, addendums, or house rules. They are informing tenants and staff about the rules and signing new leases with tenants. Potential smoke-free housing activities for local coordinators to conduct in their communities with landlords in the action stage were the following:

• Share enforcement tools with landlords.
• Help landlords get local news story or other positive publicity. Be creative!
• Encourage landlords to put “smoke-free” in ads.
• Get good ideas and quotes to share.

Maintenance

In this stage, landlords are communicating and enforcing the rule with tenants, putting “smoke-free” in ads as an amenity, and getting positive feedback about reduced costs, more applicants, and positive stories. Potential smoke-free housing activities for local coordinators to conduct in their communities with landlords in the maintenance stage were the following:

• Continue encouraging landlords to put “smoke-free” in ads.
• Follow up to see how things are going.
• Find and meet with local landlords who have adopted smoke-free policies. Get quotes and suggestions. See if they are willing to talk to others.
• Help landlords get positive publicity for successful implementation. Write stories for local landlord newsletters.

This figure was adapted with permission from material developed by Health In Sight LLC.

Volume 8: No. 1, January 2011