Mandate passed: On August 5, 2025, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors (4-0 vote) approved a new ordinance to require that rental housing (in unincorporated areas and potentially adopted by cities in the County) maintain an indoor temperature of no more than 82°F.
Why this matters: Rising temperatures and increasing heat-related deaths (including hospitalizations) are driving the push. Public health officials and tenant advocates argue that cooling is a life safety issue, particularly as heatwaves become more frequent and severe.
Scope of enforcement: The rule will start being enforced in unincorporated parts of L.A. County (areas such as East L.A., parts of South L.A.). Incorporated cities might adopt the ordinance too, but that depends on local decisions.
Timeline & compliance:
- The ordinance includes tenant protections: 30 days after the vote, renters are protected from evictions or retaliation if they install their own cooling appliances.
- Full enforcement begins January 1, 2027.
- There will be a two-year grace period for landlords to make necessary retrofits in order to comply.
Amendment for small landlords: Landlords who own 10 or fewer units will have a modified requirement: they need only cool one habitable room per unit until 2032. After 2032, the full requirement (all habitable rooms) will apply.
Other details/considerations:
On the electricity grid side, county / utility officials believe that by the time enforcement rolls out, the electricity supply will be 100% clean/renewable in many areas, and peak demand increases from cooling are not expected to exceed what the grid can handle.
Cooling doesn’t necessarily mean air conditioning: measures such as blackout curtains, reflective roofing, or double-pane windows might suffice in milder areas.
There are concerns from landlords about cost, especially for older buildings or those without existing infrastructure for cooling.
