Photo of Central Park Commons in Hopkins, MN
To better understand the local smoke-free housing policy landscape, Live Smoke Free and Hennepin County Public Health recently conducted an assessment in Hopkins, Minnesota. Hopkins was selected for this assessment because of its high concentration of renters. In fact, nearly 65% of housing units in Hopkins are renter occupied. This makes smoke-free housing policies especially important.
The assessment involved contacting 78 multi-unit housing properties within the City of Hopkins to verify the status of their smoke-free policies. The findings revealed a significant gap in public health and resident protections. Out of the 78 properties assessed, the data shows that up to 30% of properties do not have a smoke-free policy. This means that many residents are exposed to secondhand smoke.
To better visualize the results and where protections exist, an interactive map was created to clearly lay out the smoke-free landscape across the city, allowing users to explore the 78 assessed properties. By clicking on individual property pins, residents and stakeholders can view its current smoke-free policy status. The map also shows properties that do not have a smoke-free policy as well as properties marked as unconfirmed, showing where smoke-free policy data is still being verified.
Smoke-free policies are the most effective way to reduce harmful secondhand smoke exposure amongst residents. They reduce maintenance costs for property managers and owners, decrease fire risks, and ensure that home is a healthy place for everyone. Hopkins property managers/owners and city leaders can take action to address secondhand smoke exposure in multi-unit housing by establishing smoke-free policies at the property and city level.
Supported by Hennepin County Public Health and the Minnesota Department of Health Statewide Health Improvement Partnership.