‘What Renters Want’ with Jessica Fiur: What Should Property Managers Do About Legal Marijuana?
Now that marijuana is legal in some states, property managers should start thinking about how this could impact their apartments.
By Jessica Fiur, Senior Editor
Now that marijuana is legal in some states, it might become an issue for multifamily property managers, especially in smoke-free buildings. After all, you can make buildings smoke free, but what if the resident has a prescription for marijuana? Marijuana, legal or otherwise, could still make apartments stink, which could make the apartment harder to rent in the future, and could be a fire hazard which could endanger residents.
Maybe it could be stipulated on the lease that residents would not be able to smoke anything in their apartments, but that there is an outdoor area where it is permitted. Or maybe, like in pet-friendly communities that charge per dog, there would be a fee that residents would have to pay if they planned to smoke marijuana in the apartment in order to cover damages or maintenance associated with the smoke. But residents do not have to disclose medical information, so this probably couldn’t go in a lease. And no one is going to voluntarily pay up after the fact if it didn’t say they had to on the lease.
What are your thoughts on marijuana in apartments?
