DETROIT, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- Thousands of Detroit public housing residents may soon lose the right to smoke in their own homes.
The city housing authority will decide next week whether to ban smoking in its more than 4,000 units -- including single-family homes -- the Detroit Free Press reported Wednesday.
General counsel Herticene Hardaway cited secondhand smoke.
"Especially if you live in a high rise, if you have to live with people on top of you and beside you, and you have a neighbor who is going to smoke, you're unfortunately going to catch some of that smoke," Hardaway said.
Detroit is among the largest housing agencies in the country to consider a smoking ban, but 49 others in Michigan already have them. Enforcement relies on complaints and regular inspections of homes. Repeat offenders can be evicted.
"Sure, it's an argument (that) it's your own home ... but what am I supposed to do? That's my air, too," said one housing complex resident, Essie Williams, 79.
Smoking bans have spread in public housing since the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said last year they are not just legal, but "strongly encouraged."
