Smoking is currently allowed at the senior housing development Village Court, but the Mattapoisett Housing Authority is looking to change that.

Although the plan has been in the works for six months, according to housing authority member Chuck McCullough, the apartments were the site of a recent, small cigarette fire.

Smoke alarms sent residents of the apartment building out into the cold on the afternoon of Jan. 15 after a resident threw away a cigarette without fully extinguishing it.

Fire Chief Andrew Murray said the cigarette was “carelessly discarded.” While it did melt the plastic trashcan and fill two neighboring apartments with smoke, according to long-time House Manager Louise Souza, it didn’t cause any other damage.

The incident was only the second such garbage can fire that Souza remembered in her 24 years working for the Mattapoisett Housing Authority. Souza was not at the property on Jan. 15, but said she did speak with the resident.

“Even though it’s an accident, you do speak with them ­– to be considerate for your unit as well as for your neighbors.”

Souza said the local housing authority must apply to the state to change the development to a non-smoking facility.

Switching to non-smoking isn’t a new idea, but Souza said, “We took our time a little bit because we have so few smokers.”

That's something many other housing authorities in the state are doing, said McCullough.

Part of the application requires offering non-smoking classes to tenants and helping them to kick the habit. One class was already offered.

McCullough also said there will need to be a policy of enforcement. Because it is an independent living facility, not assisted living, the housing authority must give a written notice 48 hours before entering an apartment.

There may also be a designated outdoor smoking area allowed.

For now, the housing authority continues to move forward with the application process, which could be completed as soon as next summer.

McCullough said there shouldn't be any problem in getting the state to OK the designation.

"They’re thrilled that we’re on course with this," he said.