As Houston endures another summer of prolonged heat, a new proposal at City Hall aims to make working air conditioning a basic requirement for rental housing.

Council Member Alejandra Salinas

 

Houston City Council Member Alejandra Salinas has introduced a Right to Air Conditioning ordinance that would require landlords to provide and maintain operable air conditioning in habitable rental spaces. The proposal would amend Houston's Building Standards Code by removing a longstanding exemption that allows landlords to forgo air conditioning if rental units have window screens.

Salinas, who represents Houston City Council At-Large Position 4, was elected in December 2025. A Houston attorney, she introduced the proposed ordinance to address the health and safety risks faced by renters living without reliable cooling as periods of extreme heat become more common.

Although the vast majority of Houston landlords already provide air conditioning, 2023 U.S. Census Bureau data indicate that thousands of renters across the Houston area live in rental units without any air conditioning. The proposal would eliminate that gap by establishing air conditioning as a minimum housing standard.

Under the ordinance, landlords could comply by providing central air conditioning, window air conditioning units, portable air conditioning units, or other refrigerated air equipment. The proposal would not require older buildings to be retrofitted with central air systems.

The ordinance comes as Houston experiences another summer of prolonged heat. The National Weather Service has issued multiple Heat Advisories across Southeast Texas this season as high temperatures and humidity have pushed heat index values above 100 degrees on numerous days.

According to Harris County Public Health, more than 7,600 heat-related illnesses were reported between 2019 and 2023. The agency found that indoor environments without air conditioning significantly increase the risk of heat-related illness. Data from the Houston Health Department also show that heat waves have led to increases in 911 calls and hospitalizations. 

The ordinance is co-sponsored by Houston City Council Members Sallie Alcorn, Mario Castillo, and Edward Pollard. It is also supported by the Houston Apartment Association and community organizations including Texas Housers, the Houston Food Bank, and the Houston Tenants Union.

Council Member Edward Pollard stated: “ More than 75% of residents in my district live in apartment complexes, with many communities in Gulfton and Sharpstown among the hottest in the city. Once I learned about the loophole in Houston’s Building Standards Code that allows some landlords to avoid providing air conditioning, I knew I wanted to be part of the change. Rental properties should provide and maintain operable air conditioning so every Houston resident has a safe and livable home.”

Supporters also point to an affordability review conducted by the Austin Housing Department, which found that a similar air conditioning requirement had a neutral impact on affordable housing and development costs. The review found no documented rent increases directly linked to comparable requirements adopted in Dallas, Denton, or Austin.

If approved, the ordinance would remove the window-screen exemption from Houston's Building Standards Code and establish working air conditioning as a minimum health and safety standard for rental properties while allowing landlords flexibility in how they meet the requirement.