Should renters in the South be guaranteed air conditioning?

The debate over renters in hot climates received new momentum in Houston after councilmember Alejandra Salinas highlighted a gap in rental air conditioning protections. She described visiting a home in the city’s historic Fifth Ward in late June, when temperatures neared triple digits, yet the household lacked air conditioning and had to leave doors open for airflow. Across Houston, an estimated 20,400 households, including that one, do not have air conditioning. Texas state law does not require it for rental housing, while cities such as Austin, Dallas and El Paso have adopted cooling ordinances. Salinas proposed a first-of-its-kind Houston ordinance requiring landlords to provide air conditioning. Supporters argue it can reduce heat-related harm, as public health experts have documented. The measure is also framed amid broader national efforts in southern cities, and similar policy discussions in New England and the Pacific Northwest.