The Tyranny of Smoke-Free Living

But The Blairs' decision to kick the policy up a notch and declare "smokers out" raises a different legal question, one on which lawyers are divided. In Detroit, when this came up in federally subsidized housing, Sheila Walker, chief counsel to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in Michigan, determined that owners "must take caution to grandfather in those smoking residents currently residing at the complex."

In Seattle, however, HUD's regional director, John Meyers, said the feds have no rule requiring any such grandfathering of current residents.

The owner of The Blairs, Rockville-based Tower Cos., takes pride in building "green" projects. The company says its mission is to "maximize and accentuate human health and balance." At the company's new office building in Rockville, owner Jeffrey Abramson, a follower of the Indian guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, incorporated "ancient Vedic design principles" by orienting the building and placing rooms to capture the sun's "different qualities of energy" throughout the day.

Presumably, the smoking ban fits with that approach; repeated calls seeking comment from Tower Cos. went unanswered.

"Keep in mind that even the smallest of stones can create ripples in a pond," The Blairs' Web site reminds residents, asking tenants to let management know about any concerns.

The Blairs' management has dropped a boulder in the pond with nary a thought for those who will be swept away.

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