VALHALLA, NY (April 28, 2015) – Ginsburg Development Companies (GDC), one of the largest residential developers in the Hudson Valley, is implementing a policy of smoke-free apartments in all of its new rental complexes.
The new smoke-free policy applies to almost 700 luxury rental units coming on line in Yonkers, Ossining, Hastings-on-Hudson and Haverstraw. Residents and their guests will be prohibited from smoking in their apartments, the common areas and even outdoor areas such as pools, cabanas and other property amenities.
“This is an idea whose time has come,” said Martin Ginsburg, Founder and Principal of Valhalla-based GDC. “People, especially young adults, are more health-conscious and more sensitive to secondhand smoke than ever before. We’ve had residents complain about smoke drifting in from their neighboring apartments. Even one or two people smoking in a building can make a lot of other residents uncomfortable.”
Ginsburg’s move was applauded by Maureen Kenney, Director of POW’R Against Tobacco, an organization that works to reduce tobacco use in Putnam, Orange, Westchester and Rockland counties.
“Everyone deserves to breathe fresh air,” Kenney said. “As consumers are becoming more aware of the dangers of secondhand smoke, the demand for smoke-free housing options has steadily trended upward over the past decade.”
She cited a study showing that 60 percent of the air in an apartment building comes from surrounding units – a sobering fact in light of a 2014 report from the U.S. Surgeon General which concluded that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke increases risk of heart disease, cancer and strokes in adults. Children and infants exposed to secondhand smoke are more susceptible to respiratory problems, middle ear disease and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, according to the Surgeon General.
“We hope that many developers across New York State and across the country will follow Martin Ginsburg’s lead,” Kenney said. “This is a policy decision that will no doubt improve the health and quality of living of his tenants.”
Read the Journal News/LoHud coverage of this story HERE.