Los Angeles County is taking a significant step toward regulating indoor temperatures in rental housing. On August 12, 2025, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a new ordinance requiring all rental units to maintain indoor temperatures at 82 degrees Fahrenheit or cooler in all “habitable” rooms. The mandate takes effect on September 11, 2025, but the county will begin enforcing it on January 1, 2027. This gives landlords ample time to prepare.
What the Ordinance Covers
The ordinance defines “habitable” rooms as spaces used for living, sleeping, cooking, or eating, excluding bathrooms, hallways, and storage areas. Smaller property owners—those managing 10 units or fewer—receive a temporary exemption: they only need to cool one habitable room per unit until 2032. After that, they must cool all habitable rooms to meet the 82-degree requirement.
The ordinance also clarifies tenant access to cooling devices. Landlords must allow tenants to install window air conditioning units or other approved cooling equipment at the tenant’s expense, as long as installation meets building codes and does not modify the rental unit. Tenants must provide at least five days’ written notice before installation. The ordinance also protects tenants from eviction or retaliation for installing code-compliant cooling devices, and it restricts landlords from passing certain installation costs onto tenants.
Timeline, Fees, and Enforcement
Although the ordinance becomes effective 30 days after passage, the county will not enforce it until 2027, after completing a cost study and finalizing a per-unit fee to fund inspections. Existing rental property owners who cannot meet the cooling requirement using portable solutions may request a two-year extension. The fee, estimated at $7.77/unit, will support two additional county inspectors (final amount determined after the cost study).
Preparing for Compliance
The ordinance applies to unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County and to any city that adopts it into its local health code. With the county-level approval, the City of Los Angeles and several other municipalities will likely implement the same rules.
Multifamily property owners should start assessing their units’ cooling capacity, determine which rooms qualify as “habitable,” and update tenant policies regarding air conditioning installations to ensure smooth compliance.
The full ordinance can be accessed here through AAGLA: Ordinance PDF
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