Landlords and Smoke-Free Homes

Reasons to consider making your property smoke-free:

  • Reduces operating costs

  • Increase your market share

  • Tenants prefer smoke-free housing

  • Tenants' health improves with smoke-free housing

  • Become part of a smoke-free housing online registry for potential tenants

Worried about legal issues?

Existing laws allow for smoke-free housing:

  • Smokers are not a protected class under state or federal law

  • Smoking is not a legal right

  • There is no law that prohibits 100% smoke-free policies

Smokefree Air Act

Through Iowa's Smokefree Air Act, smoking is not allowed in enclosed common areas of apartment buildings. The areas include (but are not limited to): reception areas, lobbies, hallways, laundries, elevators, stairways or stairwells, or other areas to which the public is invited or in which the public is permitted. Specific no smoking signs are required on all entrances.

Although the Smokefree Air Act does not include the units in an apartment building, a landlord or manager may decide to not allow smoking anywhere inside the building (including units).

Check out the state's Smoke-Free website! More resources and information are available there.

Steps to adopting a smoke-free policy:

1) Get Set for Success

Consider contacting ASAC for technical assistance. The contact information is below.

Survey your tenants. Explain why you’re considering going smoke-free, outline possible features of the new policy, and invite feedback. A sample survey is available at the bottom of this page for download.

2) Create your own policy

Sample lease addenda are provided below. Seek feedback from your legal consultant, management company, and other key stakeholders within your organizational structure. Announce the date for when your policy will be effective (allow at least 30 days).

3) Implement your policy.

Incorporate the policy language into the appropriate documents.

    • For private properties, add to the lease of all new and renewing tenants.

    • For public housing, add the clause to the house rules and have each new or renewing tenant sign the provision.

Post signage to ensure compliance among tenants, visitors, and staff. Provide signage depending on what type of policy you adopt.

4) Reap the Benefits

Work with us to ensure your property appears on the Iowa Smoke-free Housing Registry - a new online resource for potential tenants.

Survey your tenants 60 to 90 days after the implementation of your policy. This will aid owner/tenant relations and support compliance and enforcement. See the bottom of this page for a sample letter.

ASAC smoke-free homes program

Contact the ASAC smoke-free homes program.

--Smoke-free signs for buildings and ground

--Connection to the online Iowa Smoke-free Housing Registry

--Technical assistance

--Education for tenants and landlords


For Further Information on Smoke Free Homes please contact:

Amy Doerrfeld

Prevention Specialist

Area Substance Abuse Council

319.390.1884 x 206

[email protected]


Additional Resources: