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Allegheny County Housing Authority sites going smoke-free

ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. — The Allegheny County Housing Authority said several of its sites are going smoke-free.

Some residents are happy about the changes.

Lou Esposito is fed up with what he calls a nasty stench of stale cigarettes at Ohioview Towers for years.

"There's smoke in the building.  There are butts everywhere.  It's better off," he said.

"This is not something they just dropped on the tenants without knowing.  There have been meetings," said Dr. Karen Hacker, director of the Allegheny County Health Department.

Health department statistics show a number of tenant smokers want to quit.

Officials said Allegheny County has some of the highest smokers per capita in county housing than anywhere in the state.

Officials said the move is safer for tenants and easier on the pocketbooks of taxpayers.

According to the health department, three county housing fires started due to careless smoking and inflicted more than $1 million in damage.

Five units will be under the no smoking ban, including Ohioview Towers, Jefferson Drive and West Mifflin Manor.

WPXI

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