SPOKANE — Three Spokane City Council members have introduced an ordinance requiring landlords to maintain rental bedrooms below 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Council Members Sarah Dixit, Paul Dillon and Kitty Klitzke sponsored the “Renters’ Right to Cooling” ordinance, drafted with the Gonzaga Institute for Climate, Water, and the Environment.
The proposal responds to the June 2021 Northwest Heat Dome that resulted in 19 heat-related deaths and more than 300 people seeking medical treatment in Spokane County.
“In the midst of the climate crisis, a tenant’s access to cooling has been neglected for too long,” Dixit said. “A right to cooling means our community members will be safe in their homes in extreme heat.”
“Despite extreme heat, landlords are not currently required to provide cooling,” Dillon said. “This ordinance would save lives.”
The ordinance would require cooling for existing units by 2031. New units built after 2027 would be exempt since cooling requirements for new construction will align with state law.
The City of Spokane’s Climate Resilience and Sustainability Board unanimously approved a recommendation for the ordinance’s adoption last week.
“The purpose of this ordinance is to address health disparities stemming from the increasing number of dangerously hot days caused by climate change,” Klitzke said.
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