Transcript:
In most parts of the country, home heating is considered a necessity, not a luxury.
And Matt Losak, executive director of the Montgomery County Renters Alliance in Maryland, says that as the climate warms, the same should apply to air conditioning.
Losak: “We are seeing more and more folks who are in apartment communities where the temperatures go up above 90 degrees in their apartments, affecting their ability to live a healthy lifestyle. And in some cases, unfortunately, we’ve seen people become ill and even die because of temperatures in their apartments.”
In Montgomery County, his group helped push for a law that requires landlords to offer and maintain air conditioning in most types of rental units.
It provides guidance on when to turn air conditioning on and the temperature that must be maintained. And landlords who do not comply may be fined.
Montgomery County’s law, which was enacted in 2020, is among the first of its kind in the U.S., but other cities and counties are considering similar legislation.
Losak says the policy has helped raise awareness of how to keep tenants safe as the climate warms.
Losak: “With increasing climate change … this is a health issue, not a comfort issue. … Air conditioning is as important as winter heat.”
Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media
