Los Angeles City Council members introduce motion to establish maximum indoor temperature in rental units

Los Angeles City Councilmembers and other local leaders are introducing a motion to establish a maximum indoor temperature standard for rental housing units, aiming to protect renters from hot weather conditions.

At a news conference Wednesday morning, Councilmembers Adrin Nazarian, Bob Blumenfield and Eunisses Hernandez announced they will be introducing a motion that would set the maximum indoor temperature standard at 82 degrees.

This motion would require property owners to provide remedies to keep temperatures in units below the maximum standard. Blumenfield and Hernandez recommended the installation of air conditioners, fans, or other cooling equipment.

"Last year in my area in the west valley, temperatures hit 121 degrees," Blumenfield said. "With temperatures continuing to rise with global warming, we have to realize that we have to something and that we need to protect Angelenos."

He said that although the city does a good job of providing cooling centers and keeping places like libraries cool, it's not enough. Blumenfield explained that the law requires property owners to provide heat in units, but it does not require a cooling device.

"Nobody bats an eyelash about legislation that requires heating; we take that for granted," Blumenfield said. "But in today's world, it should be the very same when it talks about conditioning the air against heat."

Hernandez said the heat can lead to several health issues, including increased ER visits, hospitalizations and deaths.  

"People should be able to have relief in their own home," Hernandez said. "This heat isn't getting any better."

LA County Supervisor Hilda Solis joined Blumenfield, Hernandez and other leaders. About a month ago, the LA County Board of Supervisors approved an amendment to establish the same maximum indoor temperature.

Solis, a supporter of the ordinance, said it's not just about air-conditioning. She explained that landlords are encouraged to find other cooling mechanisms. She said the ordinance is meant to protect the most vulnerable residents living in older buildings in the unincorporated parts of the county.

"By setting this standard, Los Angeles will join the county in treating extreme heat as the emergency that it is," Hernandez.

The LA County ordinance also allows renters to install various cooling measures, blackout curtains, or window A/C units, without penalties from landlords. This part of the amendment is to be in effect within 30 days.

In a statement to CBS Los Angeles, a spokesperson from the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles said they oppose the new 82-degree temperature mandate. The spokesperson claimed that at 82 degrees, there is "less flexibility to meet the mandate other than by using air conditioning equipment," which is costly, may require property owners to upgrade electrical service at their buildings, and release pollutants that harm the Ozone layer."

The spokesperson also said that many tenants who are already struggling to pay rent and other utility bills will not be able to manage additional electrical expenses of running a fan or air conditioner.

"There is no legitimate health reason to set indoor air temperatures at 82 degrees, which requires air conditioning equipment to achieve when other government bodies have set the maximum air temperature at 86 degrees," the spokesperson said.