Resident urges commission to keep smoke-free multiunit housing on work plan

During oral communications, Peggy Walker, representing the San Dieguito Alliance for Drug Free Youth, asked commissioners to keep smoke-free multiunit housing as a work-plan priority. Walker said the project grew from requests by families (many Hispanic) who reported drifting tobacco and marijuana smoke in rental units, and recounted a case of an asthmatic child who had moved five times because of drifting smoke and was a frequent ER patient. "We conducted a survey and found that 94 percent of 300 people surveyed approved smoke free multi unit housing," Walker said.

Walker linked the request to the city’s broader clean-air goals and noted a recently passed state disclosure law for single-family home sales; she argued renters deserve similar protections. Commissioners thanked Walker for the information and for continuing to engage on the issue; no formal action or vote on smoke-free housing occurred at the meeting.

The comment was entered during the public-comment portion of the meeting; staff and commissioners encouraged continued engagement and noted the item was already on the commission’s work plan.