Under the new laws, apartment owners will be able to list individual units or entire buildings as "smoke-free" with a special city registry. When one tenant complains about another's smoking, the complaint will be arbitrated by the local government. Punishment for ignoring the city arbitrator's decision can range from a warning or fine to eviction.
For years, West Hollywood has allowed landlords to convert newly vacated apartments into non-smoking units. In essence, the longstanding law has allowed an apartment owner to automatically reject a tenant who smokes, even if the prospective renter is a racial or ethnic minority, handicapped or has other protections under Civil Rights laws.
West Hollywood's new package of laws expands the city's powers. And while some question whether the new laws are legally enforceable, anti-smoking advocates are confident they'll pass Constitutional muster.
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