(BINGHAMTON, NY) - The Broome County Health Department will be holding a press conference on Thursday, April 17, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. in the Gymnasium at Carlisle Apartments, 150 Moeller Street, Binghamton, New York, to acknowledge the Binghamton Housing Authority for protecting the health of its residents by adopting a smoke free housing policy. If they wish to smoke, residents of Saratoga Terrace, Saratoga Heights and Carlisle Apartments are now required to smoke at least 25 feet from the buildings. The Broome County Health Department will recognize the management and board of the Binghamton Housing Authority for their leadership role in safeguarding the health of adults and children residing in these apartments.
This new policy applies to all residents, visitors and staff when on the property of Carlisle or Saratoga Apartments. “The Broome County Health Department is proud to recognize David Tanenhaus, Executive Director of Binghamton Housing Authority, and the Board of Directors for their voluntary commitment to providing smoke free living for their residents,” said Claudia Edwards, Public Health Director of the Broome County Health Department. “The Surgeon General has stated that there is no safe level of secondhand smoke. We want to applaud their effort in taking a leadership role in this very important health benefit to Broome County residents,”said Ms. Edwards.
“This policy is the first step Binghamton Housing Authority is taking towards becoming totally smoke free. We anticipate establishing a policy at North Shore Towers, a high rise apartment housing primarily older and disabled adults. Maintenance of their health is important to us and we feel it is our obligation to provide everyone the opportunity to breathe clean air,” said David Tanenhaus.
A reception for residents, officials of both organizations and the media will follow the press conference. Residents and officials from Binghamton Housing Authority will be on hand to talk about what Smoke Free Apartment Living means to them.
For more information on making your multiunit residence smoke free, contact Sharon Fischer, Tobacco Control Coordinator at the Broome County Health Department at 607-778-3068.
