- 1). Research and collect data about legal precedents regarding the conversion of condominiums to smoke-free buildings. Information is available from your local library and online, but if you're not sure where to start, a competent attorney will be more familiar with and have better access to the data you need. Gather information about the harmful health effects of secondhand smoke as well.
- 2). Establish whether you are going to have just common areas such as hallways as smoke-free or if you are going to ban smoking in individual units as well.
- 3). Create a petition that explains why you want your condominium complex to be smoke-free and the legal authority or precedent you have to propose the change. Normally, even though condos are individually owned, owners still have to abide by rules put forth by the homeowners association (HOA). Because every homeowner automatically is a member of the homeowners association for the complex, anyone who lives in the complex can propose changes in regulations for the property. Some jurisdictions also have local codes that let condos be smoke-free.
- 4). Circulate the petition to all the homeowners in the complex and ask them to sign it.
- 5). Contact the secretary of your HOA and ask for a formal meeting to address the petition.
- 6). Inform residents of the date of the hearing for the smoke-free ordinance.
- 7). Have the HOA board members vote on the smoking ban according to the HOA procedural guidelines at the hearing. Give homeowners a chance to voice their support or opposition to the ban prior to the vote.
- 8). Work with the HOA board to draft an amendment to the written guidelines for the complex. Print the new version of the guidelines. The guidelines should be clear about the penalties homeowners face for breaching the smoke-free terms.
- 9). Distribute the new version of the guidelines to all homeowners in the complex.
- 10
Enforce the new ban as necessary.
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