Spokane Council Approves New Cooling Requirements for Rental Housing
The Spokane city council approved an ordinance requiring apartments and rental units to provide adequate cooling, either through air conditioning or reimbursement up to $500 for tenant-provided solutions. The ordinance includes provisions for heat relief spaces and extended timelines for landlord compliance.
The ordinance gives renters the option to break their lease if their unit lacks at least one room with sufficient cooling. City officials are also empowered to grant landlords additional time to meet the new standards if they encounter compliance difficulties.
Starting next year, all newly constructed buildings must include cooling equipment as a baseline requirement. The measure passed amid a period of extreme heat, targeting the specific needs of tenants who currently lack air conditioning.
This policy could materially improve living conditions for renters, especially those in older buildings, potentially reducing heat-related illnesses during increasingly common heat waves. Landlords may face added costs, though the $500 reimbursement cap and extended deadlines could soften the financial impact. The approach may also serve as a model for other municipalities addressing climate resilience in housing.