According to a report by the New York Times, City Council member Lincoln Restler intends to present a bill this week that mandates landlords to purchase, install, and maintain air conditioning units for their tenants. Failure to comply with this requirement will result in fines of up to $1,250 per day.
Landlords would be required to maintain a consistent indoor temperature of 78 degrees Fahrenheit when the outside temperature reaches 82 degrees Fahrenheit. This measure takes inspiration from other states, such as Phoenix and Dallas, that experience extreme heat conditions.
This bill arrives during the Earth’s hottest year on record. According to the latest heat-related mortality report for the city, individuals are perishing even in less extreme heat, specifically when the temperature is above 82 degrees but remains below 95 degrees.
According to Caleb Smith, the resiliency coordinator for WE ACT for Environmental Justice, a nonprofit in Harlem that provided consultation for the bill, it is comparable to ensuring that tenants have access to heat during the winter. While society has agreed that no one should freeze in their homes, there is no reason to tolerate excessively hot temperatures. Smith believes that this bill is about providing a right to safe housing and a right to cooling, which are both essential for comfortable living conditions.
According to the New York Times, Professor Sheila Foster from Columbia’s Climate School expressed her concern over the rising number of days with temperature exceeding the average. She pointed out that the absence of air conditioning in such situations can be a serious threat to life.
According to a report by the Times, the recent measure appears to be at odds with attempts to combat global warming. It’s worth noting that air conditioning units are responsible for approximately 7% of the greenhouse emissions produced each year, and this figure is predicted to triple by 2050. As a result, older models that use hydrofluorocarbons are being replaced with more energy-efficient options.
According to the New York Times, there are approximately one million rent-stabilized apartments in the city, with 90 percent of them constructed before 1974. The executive director of the Community Housing Improvement Program, Jay Martin, stated that landlords who own these older properties require additional time to carry out the conversion process.
If the bill proposed by the Brooklyn Council member is approved, landlords will have a period of two years to present their cooling plans. All buildings will be required to comply with the regulations within four years. In case of financial difficulties, landlords can apply for an extension citing reasons such as the need for capital improvements.
Landlords who fail to comply with building regulations will face fines ranging from $350 to $1,250 per day. However, those who rectify the issue within 24 hours of the first violation will only be charged $250.
“I’m Christina Previte,” said Previte.
