Democracy Dies in Darkness

Montgomery approves first-in-region measure to require air conditioning for tenants

February 25, 2020 at 2:53 p.m. EST
Montgomery County Council member Tom Hucker was the lead sponsor of the air conditioning bill. (Cheryl Diaz Meyer/For The Washington Post)

In Maryland’s largest jurisdiction, it will soon be mandatory for most landlords to provide air conditioning to tenants.

Lawmakers in Montgomery County voted unanimously Tuesday to require that property owners “supply and maintain” air conditioning service at 80 degrees Fahrenheit or less during the summer months — a first-in-the-region mandate that experts say is rare across the country.