Smokers score victory in UWS condo battle

 A drawn out battle over a smoker’s right to light up in their own home has come to a close at the Upper West Side’s Vaux building. And the smokers have emerged victorious.

For now the verbal pugilism is over. Those in favor of the ban received 198 votes, while 94 opposed. But to change condo bylaws a super-majority of two-thirds of all unit owners is necessary, according to Curbed.

“The board thought that if they framed the issue in terms of smoking only, they would get enough support, because smoking is unpopular,” building resident Candice Elliot said. “But people saw that it was not merely a smoking issue, but one of an activist board whose members saw themselves as being on the vanguard of this anti-smoking movement.” [Curbed] – Christopher Cameron