Oregon lawmakers are considering HB 4120, a bill that would give housing providers a clear and reasonable pathway to adopt nonsmoking policies in multifamily housing, with important implications for resident health, safety, and housing stability.
Secondhand smoke does not stay confined to one unit. In multifamily buildings, it travels through shared walls, ventilation systems, and common areas, exposing residents who did not choose to be exposed. Current Oregon law makes it extremely difficult for housing providers to address these concerns, even when the vast majority of residents want a smoke-free living environment.
HB 4120 provides a balanced solution. It does not create a mandate. Instead, it allows housing providers to transition properties to nonsmoking with appropriate notice, respect for existing leases, and designated smoking areas.
As written, HB 4120 would:
- Improve public health by reducing exposure to secondhand smoke in shared living environments.
- Reduce fire risk and help prevent avoidable loss of housing.
- Support safer working conditions for onsite staff.
- Create a more consistent standard of protection for renters, since HUD-funded properties are already required to be smoke-free while market-rate housing is not.
- Give housing providers flexibility to respond to resident concerns without disrupting housing stability.
The current limitations create an uneven standard of protection. Non-smoking residents remain exposed to secondhand smoke indefinitely, while their neighbors’ right to smoke supersedes their right to breathe clean air. The prolonged and restrictive process for adopting nonsmoking policies also creates unnecessary safety, health, and enforcement challenges.
Housing providers want to keep communities stable, healthy, and housed. HB 4120 helps make that possible.
Lawmakers need to hear directly from housing providers about why HB 4120 matters and how it will work in practice.