Jefferson City Housing Authority bans use of medical marijauna on properties

JEFFERSON CITY — The Jefferson City Housing Authority Tuesday voted to the ban the possession and use of medical marijuana on all of its properties.

According to the policy, marijuana possession and use will not be allowed in any properties owned, managed or adjacent to housing authority property.

"I think the housing authority has the right to make those restrictions," said Jefferson City resident Daryll Parker.

Cynthia Quetsch, the executive director of the Jefferson City Housing Authority, said Wednesday she is almost certain the new restrictions will have violators to come along with it.

"We have a no smoking policy and we know people are violating that," Quetsch said. "We'll have this policy and I think it's entirely possible that people will violate it and they put their housing at risk if they do."

The JCHA can deny applicant admission and remove people who use medical marijuana from their housing waiting lists.

Quetsch said those who violate the policy while living in the housing authority's low income properties or public housing neighborhoods can face eviction.

Jefferson City resident Byron Jones said he does not agree with that penalty.

"Someone shouldn't be kicked out just because that particular owner or management feels like they don't want anybody smoking in their property or around their property if they legally can have it," Jones said.

Quetsch said because the use of medical marijuana was made legal in Missouri last year, there are several questions surrounding the topic. However, the housing authority must abide by federal law, since it is largely funded by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. The federal government considers marijuana a controlled substance.

"Right is right and wrong is wrong and I don't think people should be pre-judged because of their medical issue or their medical condition and they might actually need it," Jones said.

Parker said he believes both sides of the aisle should work toward a joint solution.

"I think there ought to be some kind of compromise somewhere, you know and the powers that be do have the power to do those kinds of things," Parker said.

Quetsch said the policy and restriction has not yet been written into the JCHA residents' leases as they are still drafting the language that will be used in the amendment to reflect the ban. She said the lease amendment must come after a 30-day comment period in which the housing authority gives notice to the tenants and has the board look at tenant comments to see if they must make any other additional changes to the lease.

Quetsch said because of that, enforcement as far as eviction can't begin yet, but she said the housing authority can ask tenants not to violate the law on JCHA property which is in their lease. Any law violation can result in eviction.