After a heat wave claimed 14 lives in Spokane, Wash., the city moved to require landlords to provide cooling in rental homes.
Here's what to know
Spokane landlords must provide "adequate cooling" for at least one room in each rental unit, according to Grist. While the policy does not explicitly require air conditioning, landlords must reimburse tenants up to $500 if they choose to install it themselves.
Brian Henning, a leading advocate for the policy, directs Gonzaga University's Institute for Climate, Water, and the Environment.
"You can no longer responsibly rent a place if you don't have a way of keeping it cool, because people will die," he said, per Grist.
The Spokane measure is part of a nationwide push to protect renters from dangerous heat. Washington and Oregon prevent landlords from blocking tenants from installing their own AC units, while other jurisdictions are placing responsibility for cooling directly on property owners.
More background
A 2024 study cited by Grist found that renters were three times more likely than homeowners to need medical care for heat exposure at home. Installation bans and high costs can leave tenants with fewer ways to keep themselves safe.
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Even when a lease is silent on basic necessities, landlords must provide them under the "implied warranty of habitability," which provides part of the legal basis for requiring cooling, Grist reported.
Advocates want protection from dangerous heat recognized under that standard alongside the longstanding requirement to provide heating.
Clinton Andrews, who leads the Center for Urban Policy Research at Rutgers University, favors maximum indoor temperature limits that could encourage cooling measures such as window shades and trees, Grist reported.
Some tenant advocates, however, worry that this flexibility could allow landlords to avoid installing AC, which they consider essential during severe heat.
What's being done?
Houston approved an ordinance requiring AC for health and safety in every rental home, eliminating an exception for apartments with window screens.
Los Angeles County took a different approach, requiring landlords in unincorporated communities to provide a safe, code-compliant way to keep indoor air at or below 82 degrees Fahrenheit beginning Jan. 1.
Beyond access to cooling, the cost of running it remains a concern.
C.J. Gabbe, an associate professor of environmental studies and sciences at Santa Clara University, suggested expanding the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program to help cover bills, Grist reported. Congress has continued funding the program despite the Trump administration's proposal to eliminate it.
Meanwhile, Henning has discussed expanding Spokane's policy statewide with advocacy groups and state legislators. Officials and lawmakers in other parts of Canada and the United States are considering comparable policies.
Still, Henning emphasized that expanding access to cooling must go hand in hand with action to stop burning non-renewable energy sources that cause heat-trapping air pollution.
"Otherwise, these problems will continue to outstrip our ability to address them," he told Grist.
"We can't just AC the world."
Where can I learn more?
Spokane's cooling rule is one of several efforts to protect renters from extreme heat.
• Houston now requires air conditioning in all rentals, making cooling a housing standard.
• West Hollywood is weighing an 82-degree limit for rentals as thousands lack AC.
• Air conditioning cuts U.S. heat deaths in half, though extreme temperatures still pose risks.
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