Los Angeles Council adopts indoor maximum-temperature standard for rental housing

Councilmember Bloomenfield on Feb. 17 secured City Council approval of a new indoor maximum-temperature policy for rental housing, saying the measure is intended to protect tenants during extreme-heat events and to align the city's standards with recent county action and state guidance.

"Nadie debería tener que vivir en una caja sudorosa," Bloomenfield said while urging colleagues to adopt the proposal. The motion, introduced as agenda item 12 and amended on the floor, directs the Department of Infrastructure and Safety, Department of Building and Safety (planning) and the city attorney to report on updating building codes and to consider implementation consistent with Senate Bill 130.

Supporters framed the policy as a public-health and equity measure. Councilmember Hernández emphasized heat's impact on vulnerable residents and cited local hospital trends: "During heat waves, hospitals see more than 1,500 visits," Hernández said, arguing that a city standard is needed to protect low-income tenants living in older buildings without cooling infrastructure. Multiple public commenters — including tenant advocates and workers — urged the council not to delay adoption.

City staff described technical and system impacts. Haig Musessen, identified as manager of an energy-planning team, told the council the LA One Hundred modeling and annual electricity evaluations include electrification scenarios and assessments of grid capacity; he said the studies allow the city to model demand growth and identify grid improvements needed to support cooling. Musessen also answered council questions about equity and the timing of any code updates.

The council adopted the motion as amended; the clerk reported 14 in favor. The motion asks relevant departments and the city attorney to report back on code changes and implementation pathways, including considerations for incentives and protections to avoid placing undue costs on tenants. The item includes direction to coordinate with county agencies that previously adopted a related standard and to account for grid capacity and workforce needs when designing enforceable requirements.

What happens next: departments directed by the motion must prepare reports outlining technical feasibility, costs and recommended code updates; the council reserved the option to return with specific ordinances or regulatory language after staff analysis. The adoption does not itself set a city code amendment effective immediately — it instructs staff to draft implementable changes and report back to the council.