Tenants across unincorporated Los Angeles County will gain a legal right to cooler homes from 1 January 2027, but many are already bracing for higher electricity bills as landlords prepare to comply with a new law requiring rental units to be kept at 82 degrees Fahrenheit or below.
The rule effectively adds air conditioning or comparable cooling to the county's basic habitability standards, putting it on a par with heat and hot water for renters. It follows a series of sweltering summers and mounting evidence that extreme heat is not just uncomfortable but dangerous, particularly for older people, children and low-income households living in poorly insulated properties.
