Building owners are required to install AC units for tenants who request them in the next four years, but tenants are on the hook for electricity costs.
A new New York City law requires apartment building owners to install and maintain AC units for tenants that request them by 2030, reports Cassidy Jensen in Brick Underground. “Renters can begin opting-in by requesting air conditioning from their landlord on March 1st, 2028, according to a process that hasn’t yet been fully worked out by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development.”
The law was passed to protect tenants — around 500 people die from heat-related causes in New York City each summer. “During the summer, from June 15th through September 15th, rooms where tenants sleep must be no higher than 78 degrees when the outdoor temperature exceeds 82 degrees.” However, Jensen points out that renters are still responsible for the cost of electricity.
The law exempts the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), only requiring it to create a “comprehensive cooling plan” for 25 percent of its units by January 2028. The law also allows landlords to apply to raise rent on rent-stabilized units after installing AC units.
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