Committee postpones vote on rental air-conditioning bill after DHCA requests formal language

Miss Wellens summarized Bill 926 as an update to the county’s rental housing maintenance standards that would eliminate an exemption for detached single-family rentals and shift the cooling-season requirement from June 1–Sept. 30 to May 15–Sept. 30. She noted the state recently added an AC requirement (real property article §8-222) that applies to new construction and substantial renovations and uses an 80°F standard measured three feet above the floor.

Nathan Veil, DHCA chief of community development, explained operational challenges for multifamily buildings with central plant heating/cooling systems, saying it "takes about 3 days to let that hot water cool down" before chillers can produce air conditioning and recommended differentiating building types. DHCA proposed three recommendations: apply an earlier May 15 start for properties that can switch instantaneously; require a June 1 effective date for central plant buildings; and allow a hardship exemption (one year) for units adding air conditioning and needing electrical upgrades. Committee members said they needed formal amendment language before voting and criticized internal miscommunication; the committee agreed to hold Bill 926 for staff to produce written amendment language and to return soon for a vote.