Transcript
SFX: Boat horns, birds, sounds of the harbor strumming guitar throughout
PATRICK LEE, VP, TRINITY FINANCIAL: We are always, as developers, looking for a marketing edge. And that marketing edge will transfer into our properties getting leased out sooner.
LAURIE MCGRATH, PEABODY PROPERTIES, INC.: We've consistently in the housing industry found that residents have asked when we could ever go smoke-free
KATE BENNETT, BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY: We were getting weekly transfer requests from residents who were trying to get away from secondhand smoke.
MEENA CARR, Resident Leader: Eighty-five percent of the residents agreed that we should go smoke-free.
RESIDENT: It was awful! You could smell it as soon as you walk in the front door.
LAURIE MCGRATH: When you look at the economic benefits you can see it from the resident perspective from the building perspective from the community perspective.
PATRICK LEE: We work in lots of communities that are predominantly low income and then at the other end of the spectrum we develop market rate housing. You have very high income people and they too are choosing smoke-free housing. We decided that it would be a marketing advantage to offer property that was smoke-free housing.
KATE BENNETT: What's been common across all of those projects is the degree to which smoking and secondhand smoke is impacting residents.
SFX: Playground voices
MEENA CARR: I am sort of responsible for Boston Housing going smoke-free which came about because my grandson was diagnosed with asthma.
KATE BENNETT: People's personal testimony was probably one of the most powerful things.
MEENA CARR: He started having these attacks when he would get up and say he could not breathe. So you know, that really go to me. I asked them if they could make it possible that the building be smoke-free.
LAURIE MCGRATH: Economically speaking I think that smoke-free housing is a huge benefit.
PATRICK LEE: We all know that when an apartment has been occupied by a smoker there're all of the fumes that are within that unit.
LAURIE MCGRATH: The turnover cost to repaint is fairly high and we see reduced costs in terms of HVAC systems and maintenance of HVAC systems.
KATE BENNETT: I've seen anywhere from $600 to $3000 as a differential for turning over that unit.
LAURIE MCGRATH: The biggest cost savings that we've seen is insurance. Because naturally smoke-free housing, we find a reduced insurance rate
PATRICK LEE: It reduced the liabilities created with fire hazards.
LAURIE MCGRATH: It's a cost savings we can pass on to the residents, it's a cost savings we can utilize within the building those monies.
RESIDENT WITH OXYGEN TUBE: I was for the nonsmoking from day one, even though I was a smoker.
GRANDSON: Once I'm away from the smoke I don't have any asthma problems.
MEENA CARR: He hasn't had a serious attack that warranted us going to the hospital with him.
PATRICK LEE: It's a chance to support your residents so they're in a better position to meet their lease commitments.
KATE BENNETT: We're really just trying to create healthier atmospheres inside the buildings and move the smoke out.
PATRICK LEE: It isn't as hard as you might imagine
LAURIE MCGRATH: Smoke-free housing is a win win for the community for the property for the residents.
PATRICK LEE: Yes it's wonderful that it's been a financial benefit. Yes it's wonderful that it has helped us market our properties more successfully, but healthier residents is part of our communities. That's the real, real benefit here.
