New rule forces Los Angeles landlords to maintain lower temperatures in units to protect tenants from heat
Officials say the measure is designed to reduce health risks during increasing hotter and long-lasting heat waves.
FILE: FOX Weather Correspondent Brandy Campbell visits World's Tallest Thermometer amid historic heat wave
FOX Weather Correspondent Brandy Campbell visits the World's Tallest Thermometer amid the historic heat wave that has gripped the West and parts of the Plains. California has already tied the US record for hottest March day with the heat expected to intensify even more on Friday and Saturday.
LOS ANGELES - A new rule will have Los Angeles landlords reaching for the thermostat to keep units cool for tenants.
Beginning January 1, 2027, landlords in unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County will be required to keep rental units at or below 82 degrees.
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This comes under a first-of-its-kind indoor cooling standard aimed at protecting tenants as extreme heat becomes more frequent in Southern California.
The new ordinance was approved on Tuesday. In the past, laws only mandated minimum indoor heat requirements during colder months, alongside standard hot water regulations.
Apartments in Venice, Los Angeles, California, USA.
(benedek / Getty Images)
Officials say the measure is designed to reduce health risks during increasing hotter and long-lasting heat waves.
"High indoor heat can cause heat exhaustion or heat stroke, which can be life-threatening," the L.A. County Department of Public Health’s Environmental Health Division stated.
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Landlords owning 10 or fewer rental units are required to have adjustments made to at least one habitable room per unit by the start of 2027, and by January 2032 the entire unit will need to maintain 82 degrees.
Air conditioner maintenance or repair
(ArtMarie / Getty Images)
That said, they are not required to install air conditioning in every unit, but they must use whatever methods are necessary to meet the standard.
Those measures could include passive cooling techniques such as adding blinds or shade structures, along with active cooling techniques like adding a fan.
A man installing a ceiling fan. Home improvement, professional work, and technical skill concept.
(mohd izzuan / Getty Images)
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According to the L.A. County Department of Public Health’s Environmental Health Division, "Landlords who are unable to meet the maximum indoor temperature requirement through passive and/or portable cooling methods may request an extension from Los Angeles County Department of Public Health of up to two years."
Recently, California has been experiencing more frequent and prolonged heat waves bringing temperatures past historical norms.
An aerial shot of apartments with houses and trees.
(jeremyiswild / Getty Images)
In fact, this year has offered multiple examples of the trend. Most recently, a late July heat wave brought widespread triple-digit temperatures to Southern California, prompting heat advisories.
Meanwhile, earlier this year, the region endured a record-breaking March heat wave that pushed temperatures into the 90s and even above 100 degrees in some communities—conditions more typical of summer than early spring.