The first completely smoke-free apartment complex in the Netherlands will be occupied by the tenants in Almere on Monday. Smoking is not allowed anywhere in and around that complex (five homes), not even on the balconies or the parking lot. If this does happen, the lease will be terminated after six months.
Initiator, builder and project developer Robert Oostmeijer (62) received support for the construction of his complex from the anti-smoking organization Clean Air Nederland (CAN), known for numerous (successful) lawsuits against facilitating smoking. ‘We strive for the right to a smoke-free place to live, by analogy with a smoke-free workplace’, says CAN chairman Tom Voeten.
Five years ago, while on holiday in the south of France, Oostmeijer himself looked in vain for a smoke-free space. ‘On the beach, on the terraces, above and below me on the balconies of my holiday complex, there was smoking everywhere!’ That led to annoyance and gave him an idea.
Scoop
According to Oostmeijer, Amsterdam has a completely smoke-free residential complex for students, owned by a corporation, and something similar is being worked on in Leiden. But ‘his’ complex in the Muziekwijk in Almere is a first. ‘If you look at it from the point of view of private initiative.’
The project developer is an ‘active’ member of CAN. He points out that another active member, who also works in the construction and real estate world, is developing a much larger non-smoking residential complex. That should be in the Amstelveen region and includes 250 homes.
Oostmeijer did not have to advertise for the rental of the five homes. ‘Of course we have a housing shortage, that plays a role, but just because of some attention in the local press, the number of applications has been enormous.’
The residents – the first will receive the key to their private sector rental home on Friday – have signed a contract that stipulates that they are assured of occupation for at least six months. If they comply with all the agreements in the rental agreement, the contract can be extended.
Social control
According to CAN chairman Voeten, monitoring by cameras or the like is not necessary at all to check whether the tenants are complying with the agreement. “Social control is enough. Certainly people who consciously want to live smoke-free have a keen nose for smoke.’ And sound the alarm at CAN, for example, the smoke nuisance reporting center learns from that organization.
Voeten: ‘There are a lot of complaints about smoking in the residential area. This is a very intense topic. Smokers see their home as their last bastion.’ Nevertheless, CAN is working hard to get this subject more broadly on the agenda. For example, discussions are underway with housing associations and other landlords about declaring ‘a substantial’ part of the home ownership smoke-free.
Voeten is also announcing new lawsuits. ‘The right to a smoke-free place to live is our new goal.’ Project developer Robert Oostmeijer says that he has had a lot of support from the municipality of Almere when setting up his complex (spaciously detached on three sides). ‘It took a long time, though. Five years. Mainly because of all kinds of complaints and procedures from someone who lives a little further away. No, not a smoker. Someone who works in shifts and found that his night’s sleep was being disturbed.’