NYC Passes Law Requiring Landlords to Provide Cooling for Tenants

By Y.M. Lowy

The New York City Council has passed new law that will require landlords to provide cooling systems to tenants who request them, marking a major shift in housing rules as summers continue to get hotter. The bill, known as Cool Homes for All, was introduced by councilmember Lincoln Restler.

For more than a century, landlords in New York City have been legally required to provide heat during the winter. This new law mirrors that standard by extending protections to the summer months, making access to cooling a right rather than a luxury.

Heat is the leading cause of climate-related deaths in New York City, with an estimated 580 people dying each year from heat-related illness. Despite rising temperatures, hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers still live without air conditioning, especially in lower-income neighborhoods.

Under the new law, tenants will be able to opt in and request a cooling system from their landlord. The city is giving buildings several years to prepare. A four-year phase-in period will allow time for upgrades, energy planning, and access to state incentives. Enforcement by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development is expected to begin in the summer of 2030.

This law is especially important for dense neighborhoods like Williamsburg, where many older buildings were not designed with cooling in mind.