Concord Smoking Ordinance for Attached Housing' Takes Effect This Week

CONCORD (CBS SF) -- A ban on smoking and vaping in and around apartments, condos and other attached-housing units, passed almost a year ago by the Concord City Council, goes into effect for all such housing units Friday.

Mobile home and RV parks, as well as dwelling areas in residential facilities such as group homes, residential care facilities, permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, assisted living facilities and emergency and homeless shelters, also come under the ordinance.

Exempt from the ordinance are single-family detached homes, accessory dwelling units ("granny" or "mother-in-law" units), and motel or hotel rooms designated as smoking rooms (no more than 20 percent of all the city's motel rooms).

The ordinance, approved by the council last January and enacted Feb. 6, applied immediately to newly built attached-housing units, and to those under construction at the time. The ordinance provided for a phase-in period for existing apartments, condos, duplexes and the like; that phase-in period ends with the new year, which arrives Friday.

Regulations allow for designated smoking areas that meet certain criteria, including being at least 25 feet from any area used by children.

More information can be found at the City of Concord website.