The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has approved a groundbreaking ordinance establishing maximum indoor temperature limits for rental units, making it the first jurisdiction in the region to mandate such protections for tenants facing extreme heat.
The measure sets an 82-degree Fahrenheit ceiling for indoor temperatures in rental properties located in unincorporated areas of the county. It also grants tenants the right to install portable cooling devices without facing eviction, retaliation or additional charges from landlords.
Chair Pro Tem Hilda L. Solis, who authored the ordinance alongside Third District Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath, said the policy addresses a deadly public health threat exacerbated by climate change.
"We know that extreme heat is not just uncomfortable. It is deadly," Solis said. "This ordinance is a critical, life-saving policy that prioritizes the health and dignity of renters, many of whom are children, older adults, people with disabilities and immigrant working families living in aging buildings without cooling."
The ordinance will take effect in 30 days but includes accommodations for smaller landlords. Property owners must maintain the 82-degree maximum in at least one habitable room by January 2027 and in all habitable rooms by January 2032. Enforcement against landlords begins in 2027, with a possible two-year extension for qualifying major improvements.
The rules come as Los Angeles County's unincorporated areas — including East Los Angeles, Puente Valley, Florence-Firestone and Walnut Park — have experienced rising temperatures and longer heat waves. Older buildings in the county often lack modern cooling systems, putting those residents at increased risk for heat-related illnesses.
"Setting a maximum indoor temperature of 82 degrees isn't a luxury — it's a basic right," Horvath said. "Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own home. This ordinance puts us on a path to ensure entire units are protected from extreme heat and establishes a public health standard rooted in science, equity, and care."
The measure includes specific protections for immigrant tenants, prohibiting landlords from using cooling devices as justification to raise rent, impose fees or engage in harassment. Tenants can install air conditioners, fans or blackout curtains without fear of retaliation.
Environmental and housing justice advocates strongly supported the ordinance. Representatives from Strategic Actions for a Just Economy, Sierra Club, Climate Resolve, Communities for a Better Environment and the San Gabriel Valley Conservation Corps attended Tuesday's board meeting.
Jannet Torres, a climate justice organizer at SAJE and Fourth District tenant, said the policy will save lives by giving renters legal protection to install air conditioning.
"It is an important step in ensuring our most vulnerable communities can survive extreme indoor heat as the planet continues to warm," Torres said.
SAJE member Mireya, also a Fourth District tenant who withheld her last name citing immigration concerns, described the personal impact of extreme heat.
"Every summer, the heat gets worse and worse, making it hard to cook, to sleep, and even to breathe," she said. "Finally, there will be a way for me and many others to have relief and make sure we can stay healthy in our own homes when heat waves come."
The ordinance development began in November 2022 when Solis introduced a motion directing county departments to explore indoor temperature thresholds. She and Horvath worked with the departments of Public Health, Consumer and Business Affairs, the Chief Sustainability Office and County Counsel to craft the final measure.
To assist small property owners with compliance, Solis introduced a separate motion for technical and financial assistance programs. County staff will present a report within six months outlining potential funding sources, eligibility criteria and disbursement plans.
The ordinance targets unincorporated areas of the San Gabriel, San Fernando and Antelope valleys, where many face particular vulnerability as climate change intensifies heat waves across Southern California.
"This ordinance is more than a way to stay cool," Solis said. "Los Angeles County is leading the way towards a more just and equitable living conditions for Angelenos."