Smoking ban starts Sunday at Lake County senior public housing

Smoking will be banned starting Sunday in senior housing owned by a Lake County governmental agency.

Lake County Housing Authority Executive Director David Northern said the no-smoking policy for the senior buildings is the first step in a plan that will be enacted for all of the agency's low-income properties. The ban applies to any building labeled public housing or Section 8.

As of Sunday, smoking will be prohibited inside Gurnee's Warren Manor, Hawley Manor in Grayslake, Shiloh Tower in Zion, John Kuester Manor in Wauconda, Beach Haven Tower in Round Lake Beach and Antioch's Orchard Manor and Millview Manor.

While senior residents and their visitors can't smoke in individual units or elsewhere in the buildings, they'll be allowed to puff tobacco products in designated areas outside on housing authority grounds in compliance with local smoking laws.

Lake County Housing Authority is the fourth largest such agency in Illinois. Northern said it is the state's largest authority to move toward smoke-free housing.

“We didn't do it because we feel smoking is not right,” Northern said at a recent housing authority board meeting. “We did it to protect our residents.”

In all, the Lake County agency provides housing and related services for more than 11,000 of what it calls the most vulnerable residents.

Officials said only one negative comment was received regarding phase one of the smoking ban that starts Sunday.

Sally Stang, the housing authority's associate director of operations, said an education campaign was used to ease the transition to the smoke-free policy.

“We've been doing this for two years,” Stang said. “Educating the residents, bringing in Smoke Free Illinois, offering kits to stop smoking. I think it's going to go a little bit smoother than we had anticipated because of all that legwork we did.”

Phase two of the indoor smoking prohibition is set to begin May 1, 2012, at the Marion Jones Townhomes in North Chicago and all public housing scattered sites. The scattered properties include single-family homes and townhouses.

In addition to the housing units, smoking will be banned in common halls, stairways and any other place considered inside. Violators could be hit with a first-time $100 fine and $300 on the second offense.

Officials said a third violation will result in termination from the Lake County Housing Authority program and liability for costs of painting and cleaning of areas tarnished by tobacco smoke.

About 81 percent of Lake County Housing Authority residents don't smoke, according to the most recent agency survey from December 2008.

Lake County Health Department employees have offered individual and group sessions for housing authority residents who want to quit smoking. Stang said she's aware of at least 10 residents who have quit smoking since Jan. 1.

Funding for the agency primarily comes from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department.