HomeMy WebLinkAbout5/26/2026 Item 5a, Alber
Julia Mary Alber <
To:E-mail Council Website
Cc:Leah Ann Burnett; Trent Johnson; SLO Tobacco Control Program
Subject:Code Enforcement and Smokefree Multifamily Housing
Good afternoon Mayor Stewart and City Council Members,
I am writing on behalf of the SLO County Tobacco Control Coalition to share information and
recommendations related to code enforcement capacity and smokefree multifamily housing policies.
Thank you for holding the upcoming special session on code enforcement. We also appreciate the staff
report that highlighted the structure of the code enforcement team, the breakdown of code enforcement
investigations, and the response timeline and associated fees.
As you know, our coalition is asking the City Council to strengthen the current smokefree multifamily
housing ordinance by expanding protections to include smoking within individual units. For any
smokefree or health policy to be effective, there must be both education and meaningful accountability.
To better understand how these policies are implemented elsewhere, our coalition reviewed smokefree
multifamily housing ordinances across 102 California jurisdictions and contacted local governments
directly regarding enforcement practices. We found that the overwhelming majority rely on city or county
code enforcement departments to respond to complaints and ensure compliance.
Our coalition supports a smokefree multifamily housing ordinance that includes a graduated, multistep
enforcement process handled through Code Enforcement, while also prohibiting evictions solely due to
smoking violations. This approach prioritizes education, compliance, and public health without putting
housing stability at risk.
In addition, our coalition recently attempted to gather information about the City’s current code
enforcement efforts related to health and safety complaints from publicly accessible data. We sought to
better understand how often complaints are filed, the types of complaints received, and how they are
resolved. We understand that the staff report for the session provided some of this data. However, we
did want to note that we were unable to identify consistent or accessible public data on these outcomes
on our own. Without this information, it is difficult for the public to assess whether existing city policies
are being effectively enforced. We respectfully ask the City to improve transparency by making more
enforcement data publicly available.
Finally, as you consider code enforcement needs next Tuesday, we urge you to invest in additional
staffing and resources for the Code Enforcement Division. These staff play a critical role in protecting the
health, safety, and quality of life of residents and will be essential for implementing both current and
future community health standards.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
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Julia Alber
Chair, SLO County Tobacco Control Coalition
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