SPOKANE, WASH. — As summer temperatures rise across the Pacific Northwest, Spokane City Council members are working to finalize an ordinance that would guarantee renters access to adequate cooling in their homes.
The “Renter’s Right to Cool Ordinance” has undergone significant revisions since its initial proposal, with council members hearing from both tenants and landlords about how the measure should be structured. The ordinance would require landlords to ensure their rental units can be cooled to at least 80 degrees during hot weather.
City Council Member Paul Dillon, who represents District 2, said the council has carefully considered feedback from multiple stakeholders to create a workable solution.
“There has been a lot of different iterations to this ordinance,” Dillon said. “We have heard a lot from tenants, from landlords and housing providers, and I think we came to a good place that strikes that right balance in between making sure that people can stay cool, they have the resources that they need, and also addressing affordability.”
The ordinance addresses a growing concern in Spokane, where extreme heat events have become more frequent. Renters, who often have limited control over their living conditions, are particularly vulnerable during heat waves. Many lack the ability to install air conditioning or make other cooling improvements to their units.
However, some tenant advocates who attended the city council meeting expressed frustration that the ordinance still doesn’t adequately protect vulnerable residents. They argue that safe housing, including adequate cooling, should be a landlord’s responsibility and that the city must enforce compliance.
“Safe housing should be a human right, and it should be the responsibility of the landlords to provide that housing,” one advocate said during public comment. “Safe housing, adequate housing, and it should be the responsibility of the city to enforce and make sure that landlords are providing adequate housing.”
Dillon acknowledged the concerns raised but emphasized that the council has worked to balance tenant protections with practical requirements for landlords. He noted that despite differing opinions on specific provisions, there is broad agreement on the core principle.
“At the end of the day we are going to advocate for the best ordinance,” Dillon said. “I think everyone, if they might disagree, still agrees with the main issue, and think that people deserve a right to cooling.”
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