L.A. County: 82 Degree Cooling Mandate Passes
Effective September 11th, but Enforcement Not to Start Until January 1, 2027
On August 12, 2025, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, on a 5-to-0 vote, passed a new indoor air temperature mandate requiring ALL rental housing providers to maintain 82 degrees Fahrenheit or cooler for all “Habitable” rooms in all rental units. However, there is an exemption provided for smaller property owners with 10 or fewer units in that these smaller owners are only required to cool one “Habitable” room to 82 degrees Fahrenheit until 2032, at which time the ordinance imposes a requirement to cool all “Habitable” rooms to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. A “Habitable” room is generally any room within a building used for living, sleeping, eating, or cooking, excluding spaces like bathrooms, hallways, and storage areas.
Additionally, rental property owners must allow renters to install window air conditioning units or other cooling devices at the renter’s expense if installation is done according to code and does not alter or modify the rental unit, and rental property owners must also allow tenants to provide additional cooling methods, if done in a safe and code-compliant manner. Tenants must provide their landlords at least five (5) days written notice of their intention to install such window air conditioning units or other cooling devices.
Under the new cooling mandate, tenant protections are being updated to ensure code-compliant cooling practices installed by tenants are not a cause for eviction and in addition, landlords are restricted from passing on the cost of certain equipment installation to tenants.
While the ordinance becomes effective thirty (30) days after its passage, enforcement of the ordinance will not take place until January 1, 2027, which enforcement will be conducted by the County’s health department. However, landlords of already existing rental properties may request an extension of two years for compliance if unable to meet the maximum indoor temperature requirement through portable cooling methods by the enforcement date.
Lastly, there will be a new fee charged on top of the existing Rental Housing Habitability Program fee to hire two new county inspectors. The estimated additional cost is $7.77 per unit but will be finalized after a cost study has been completed.
This new ordinance will apply to the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County AND ALL cities that adopt this new ordinance as part of their health codes.
- It is highly likely that the City of Los Angeles and many other cities within Los Angeles County will adopt this cooling mandate now that it has passed.
You can read a copy of the ordinance at this link: Ordinance PDF
About the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles (AAGLA): Serving rental housing providers throughout Southern California since 1917, AAGLA is a leading trade association and government advocate. With over 10,000 members representing more than 350,000 rental units, our community includes rental property owners, managers, developers, real estate professionals, and trusted vendors. AAGLA also offers comprehensive member-exclusive education and training, including weekly webinars, in-person events, Lunch & Learn sessions, and Certificate programs covering legal updates, landlord-tenant laws, insurance, and more.
Not a member of AAGLA? Click here.
Important Disclaimer: The information and materials provided during this presentation is for general information purposes only. Absolutely no legal or tax advice is being given during this presentation. Keep in mind that every situation is unique, and the laws, rules and regulations are subject to change at any time. So, before acting, be sure to obtain tax and/or legal advice from your licensed professional.