- Houston City Council passed an ordinance requiring landlords to provide working air conditioning, closing a prior exemption for units with window screens.
- Property owners have roughly 120 days to comply and can satisfy the rule with window units, since central air conditioning is not required.
- The rule follows Harris County Public Health data showing about 7,600 heat-related illnesses from 2019 to 2023, though critics warn of pass-through rent hikes.
Houston-area landlords will soon be required to provide air conditioning in their rental units, following a new City Council ordinance, according to The Real Deal. The rule takes effect in 120 days and closes a longstanding exemption that let landlords skip air conditioning if their units had window screens. For renters, the relief arrives too late to cover the worst of this year’s summer heat.
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Closing a Longstanding Loophole
Houston’s rental housing code has long allowed landlords to skip air conditioning if units had window screens. That loophole left thousands of renters without landlord-provided cooling during the city’s hot, humid summers. The new ordinance eliminates the exemption.
Property owners won’t need to install central air. Window units will satisfy the requirement. That gives landlords a cheaper option than a full HVAC retrofit, especially in older garden-style apartments.
The Details
Landlords have about three months after the ordinance passes to bring units into compliance. The Houston Health Department will enforce the rule. Tenants can request an inspection through the city’s 311 line.
Landlords will have an opportunity to fix missing air conditioning before receiving a formal citation, according to The Real Deal.
Harris County Public Health reported about 7,600 heat-related illnesses between 2019 and 2023. Supporters cite the figure as evidence of the rule’s health benefits.
Thousands of Houston renters currently live without landlord-provided air conditioning. Many rely on personal window units or go without cooling during the hottest months.
City Council member Alejandra Salinas sponsored the measure. She said similar rules in other cities have not meaningfully affected housing affordability.
Zooming Out
Houston’s ordinance joins a broader wave of landlord-tenant regulations moving through major markets this year. Results have varied by jurisdiction, from courts upholding tenant protections to broader resistance against rent-focused measures.
That includes a recent Los Angeles multifamily case.
Why It Matters
Houston’s debate centers on a basic question: Should landlords meet a higher habitability standard if compliance could raise rents?
Opponents argue that landlords may pass installation costs to tenants. They warn that higher rents could push some renters toward eviction or homelessness.
The debate mirrors housing fights elsewhere, including a Massachusetts court ruling that blocked a statewide rent control ballot measure earlier this year.
What’s Next
Landlords have roughly until the end of the year to install window units or equivalent cooling. The Houston Health Department will then begin enforcement.
Watch 311 complaint volume for an early measure of how many rental units lack landlord-provided air conditioning. Rents in older, non-compliant buildings will also be worth watching as owners absorb installation costs.
Property managers should budget for window-unit installations before the 120-day window closes. The rollout could also influence whether other Texas cities adopt similar habitability standards.
