LA County Cooling Ordinance: What Attorneys and Property Owners Need to Know

November 14, 2025

After another sweltering summer and years of debate, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has approved a new cooling ordinance that establishes comprehensive rules regarding the cooling rights of LA County renters and protects residents from extreme heat.

County officials estimate that each year, hundreds of residents in Los Angeles County experience heat-related illness and even death, particularly those living in older buildings without adequate air conditioning or cooling systems.

With the new cooling ordinance soon to take effect, what does legal counsel need to know about how the change affects landlords, property owners, and tenants?

Edrington and Associates has the details on everything legal professionals need to know about the shift in LA County rental housing compliance.

What is the LA County Cooling Ordinance for Rental Housing?

The LA County Cooling Ordinance, established under Los Angeles County Code (LACC) § 11.20.475, signals a significant shift in building requirements. It effectively creates a set of indoor cooling requirements in LA rentals, similar to those already in place for indoor heating.

At the centerpiece of the cooling ordinance are new temperature control laws for rentals in LA County. Rather than mandating the use of air conditioning, the ordinance sets a maximum allowable temperature of 82°F for all habitable rooms in a building. It provides landlords with a range of options to meet compliance requirements.

The temperature cap is set to affect all rental properties in unincorporated Los Angeles County, as well as those in incorporated cities that choose to adopt the ordinance.

New Landlord Cooling System Requirements in LA

The key provision of the ordinance will require landlords to make significant adjustments; however, landlords may use a combination of methods to maintain their units at or below 82 degrees.

Acceptable methods include:

Installing or upgrading air conditioning units or heat pumps
Adding insulation or weatherization measures
Utilizing reflective roofing or cool roofing materials
Installing double-pane windows or window shading systems

Notably, for potential litigation against or in defense of landlords, compliance is directly linked to the 82°F cap, and not the installation of specific equipment. Any combination of these methods may be used to prevent temperatures from exceeding 82 degrees.

Expanded LA County Tenant Cooling Rights

The new law also expands tenants’ rights to maintain a cool home environment.

Effective September 11, 2025, renters in covered housing are now able to install their own portable cooling systems, such as window AC units, without fear of consequence from landlords, as long as they meet these criteria:

Tenants must give landlords at least five days’ written notice that they will be installing their own portable AC unit.s
All building electrical safety codes must be met.
No permanent structural changes may be made – units must be able to be removed when a tenant moves out.

The ordinance prevents landlords from retaliating against tenants who install these devices. Under the law, landlords may not threaten tenants with eviction, rent hikes, or other forms of harassment in retaliation for installing their own cooling devices.

Additionally, landlords cannot charge tenants for the costs associated with operating cooling devices.

Timeline: When Do Landlord Cooling System Requirements in LA Begin?

The LA County Board of Supervisors has taken a staggered approach to implementing the landlord cooling system requirements for LA County rentals.

The ordinance will be phased in over time, giving property owners time to plan and budget for the necessary changes.

Here is a breakdown of the most important dates:

September 12, 2025 – LA County Tenant cooling rights go into effect, allowing tenants to install their own portable AC units or other cooling devices.
January 1, 2027: Landlord cooling system requirements for LA County rentals, setting a maximum temperature of 82ºF in habitable rooms, take effect.
January 1, 2032: Small landlords (classified as those with 10 or fewer units) must fully comply by this date. Until then, only one habitable room per dwelling needs to be cooled.
Landlords may apply for a compliance extension of up to 2 years.

This staggered rollout provides landlords and their legal advisors with ample opportunity to plan for any necessary improvements, particularly for those with a portfolio of properties, to meet LA County rental housing compliance requirements before these deadlines.

Habitability, Liability, and Penalties

Failure to meet the 82ºF or lower temperature standard is enforceable under LA County’s Rental Housing Habitability Program (RHHP).

Non-compliance is treated as a habitability violation in the unincorporated areas of LA County, and is subject to investigation and penalties.

Under RHHP, failure to comply may result in:

Administrative fines under LACC § 8.53.105.
Placement in the Rent Escrow Account Program (REAP) LACC § 8.55.010, which may include rent reductions, escrowed rent, and added fees.
Tenant entitlement to remedies for landlord retaliation

Attorneys representing owners and landlords should advise their clients to track ambient unit temperatures, thoroughly document their internal compliance efforts and upgrade projects, and respond proactively to tenant requests.

How LA County Cooling Laws Affect Rental Property Owners

Legal counsel advising property owners on these changes should be sure to highlight these core impacts of the LA County rental property cooling laws:

Capital Improvement: Many property owners will face significant upfront investment to bring their buildings into compliance.
Risk Mitigation: Early compliance reduces the likelihood of tenant complaints, habitability claims, and code enforcement actions.
Advance Planning: Take advantage of the staggered roll-out to strategically budget and schedule necessary improvements over time.
Keep Documentation: Retain records and documentation of any improvements made that bring your units into compliance with the 82ºF or below standard to support defense in the event of enforcement actions.

5 Action Steps for Landlords and Counsel to Take NOW

Edrington & Associates recommends several steps landlords and their legal advisors can take now to make meeting the LA County cooling ordinance as smooth as possible:

Evaluate Your Properties – Identify which properties already meet the 82ºF standard, and flag those that don’t.
Notify Tenants – Inform and educate tenants on their rights under LA County’s tenant cooling laws and the landlord’s responsibilities, as well as the timeline for compliance.
Explore Cost Recovery and Compliance Assistance Programs – Visit the Cool and Healthy Homes portal. This online resource hub connects landlords with potential rebate and incentive programs, as well as low-interest financing options to help offset the cost of compliance and make the transition more financially manageable.
Establish a Phased Upgrade Plan – Take advantage of the window before compliance becomes mandatory and plan upgrades in phases to spread the financial commitment over time.
Track All Upgrades and Expenses – Maintain detailed documentation of your improvements and expenses in case of a legal challenge.

LA County Cooling Ordinance FAQs

Q: What is the LA County Cooling ordinance for rental housing?

The new LA County tenant comfort regulations and cooling ordinance, LACC §11.20.475, is a new law that requires landlords to ensure that habitable rooms in rental units do not exceed indoor temperatures of 82ºF. The ordinance is not a mandate to install air conditioning. Landlords may combine various options to ensure their units remain cool and comfortable.

Q: What are LA County tenant cooling rights under the new ordinance 2025?

As of September 12, 2025, the new LA County rental housing temperature rules grant tenants the right to install their own portable air conditioning units, provided they give advance notice and comply with electrical safety codes. Landlords may not retaliate or charge tenants extra for installing their own portable AC units.

Q: What are the landlord cooling system requirements for LA County rentals?

By Jan 1, 2027, indoor cooling requirements in LA rentals for all habitable rooms must be at or below 82ºF. Smaller landlords, those with fewer than 10 units, have until 2032 to reach compliance. Landlords may use any combination of methods, like air conditioning, heat pumps, insulation, or other means. The only requirement is that the temperature in habitable rooms does not exceed 82°F.

Q: How do LA County rental property cooling laws affect rental property owners?

Owners must audit their properties for compliance and begin planning any necessary upgrades. Failure to comply can result in penalties, administrative enforcement, and potential tenant litigation.

Expert Insight for Attorneys Navigating LA County’s Cooling Ordinance

The new LA County Cooling Ordinance (LACC §11.20.475) will redefine what “habitability” means in rental housing—and expose property owners to new claims and enforcement actions. Attorneys advising landlords or tenants will need to interpret both the legal and building-code implications of the 82°F standard.

Edrington & Associates is a leading California expert witness and real-estate consulting firm specializing in habitability, code compliance, and landlord-tenant disputes. Our experts translate complex construction and ordinance issues into precise, defensible analyses for litigation and mediation.