Smoke-free for Circle Drive Apartments

To enhance the quality of life for tenants of Circle Drive Apartments, Conifer Realty LLC has designated the property in Sidney as entirely smoke-free effective September 1. Smoking will be prohibited everywhere on the property which is located in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains.

Advancing Tobacco Free Communities in Delaware, Otsego and Schoharie Counties (ATFC-DOS) worked with representatives of Conifer Realty LLC to adopt a total smoke-free policy at Circle Drive and provided Leslie Joscelyn, property manager, and Dennis Barse maintenance superintendent, with signs, window clings and bench plates to post around the 56-unit facility. ATFC-DOS educates the community and decision makers, mobilizes community members around the problems that tobacco addiction causes in local communities, and helps decision makers understand the types of  choices that they have to address these problems.

According to Ms. Joscelyn, “We want this to be a healthy property for adults, kids and pets. The potential for exposure to secondhand smoke and aerosol and tobacco product litter raises serious health concerns for all our residents. Secondhand smoke drifts through common walls and ventilation systems and contaminates air in common areas and individual units.”  

At a recent meeting with tenants, Guy Diegelman, district manager for Conifer Realty LLC, shared that while tenants and visitors have never been allowed to smoke in any units at Circle Drive, the smoking prohibition would now be extended to the entire property including all indoor and outdoor common areas, building entryways, playground, parking areas and inside vehicles. “Smoke residue lingers and is difficult to remove. Attempting to remove smoke odor, discoloration and chemicals by refurbishing walls, floors and carpets is a costly fix. Smoke-free properties lower maintenance costs, decrease turnover costs and improve value retention, ” he stated.

ATFC-DOS also supplied signage for the Read Memorial Senior Apartments in Hancock that embraces a smoke-free policy and accommodates individual’s age 62 and older or disabled regardless of age.

Preventing and reducing tobacco use are important public health actions that can be taken to improve the health of New Yorkers. The U.S. Surgeon General indicates that secondhand smoke is a serious health hazard that can lead to disease and premature death in children and non-smoking adults. Secondhand smoke contains 7,000 chemical compounds (250 of which are known to be harmful) and causes asthma, upper respiratory infections, cancers, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).