SMOKE SCREEN?

Should people who move into the 252 apartments slated for affordable housing at the Olympic Village be allowed to smoke in them?

Absolutely, a human rights activist might say.

Others, such as B.C. Housing and the city, still haven't decided.

The city owns the 252 units and is accepting applications from prospective tenants to rent the apartments, which are spread among three buildings.

As I reported Wednesday, half will be rented at market rates to people such as firefighters, police officers and nurses. The other half, which equals 126 units, will go to people who require subsidized housing.

All three buildings will be managed by one or more non-profit societies yet to be chosen by the city. That is supposed to happen soon and tenants could move in by August.

In researching details for my story, I noticed on B.C. Housing's online housing registry that some of its housing complexes require tenants to sign a "smoke-free addendum."

So that means tenants living at the Comox Street Development in the West End can't smoke because they've agreed not to. Same goes for tenants in the Maclean Park Extension complex at Jackson and Keefer streets.

Back in February, during the 2010 Winter Games, Mayor Gregor Robertson announced the Village was certified as the "greenest, most energy efficient and sustainable neighbourhood in the world."

Or, in bureaucratic speak, the Village was given "LEED Platinum certification." In English, that translates to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and factors such as "indoor environmental quality" are considered in the certification.

So back to the question--should people be allowed to spark up cigs in the units at the Village? "We haven't discussed that," said Dennis Carr, the city's assistant director of social infrastructure. "That hasn't come up. I'll add it to my list."

Added Carr: "It's not my area of expertise, but I don't believe we got any LEED points for making it a smoke-free building. Now that we've had the conversation, I'll check it out."

BOOSTER'S MILLIONS

More on that announcement Tuesday by Premier Gordon Campbell that eight more social housing sites will be built in Vancouver...

One of those sites, at 1601 West Seventh Ave., happens to be across the street from the Courier's office. The $13.4 million project will have 62 apartments when it's completed over the next two years.

The Katherine Sanford Housing Society and the Motivation Power and Achievement Society, which managed the temporary homeless shelter on West Fourth, will operate the building.

As many journos reported Tuesday, the Streetohome Foundation kicked in $20 million toward the construction of the eight sites. But the private foundation still has to raise the money.

Business magnate Frank Giustra--yes, that's the same guy who hangs with former U.S. president Bill "Bubba" Clinton--has kicked off the fundraising campaign with a $5 million gift.

Giustra is chairman of the foundation's fundraising campaign. And according to a release from the foundation, his gift will go directly to the development of the West Seventh Avenue site and another at 1237 Howe St.

mhowell@vancourier.com