Council votes to draft ordinance requiring functional air-conditioning standards for city-managed properties

The council approved a motion directing city management to prepare a sample ordinance that would require functional air-conditioning systems and set minimum indoor-temperature standards and repair timelines for city-owned, leased or managed properties.

Mayor Victor D'Tsarino said the motion was prompted by conditions at the Hamilton senior building: "I visited the Hamilton this week and then the apartment I visited was 88 degrees," he said, adding that senior residents should not have to live in excessive heat while repairs are deferred. The mayor asked staff to present a draft ordinance at the next meeting and also asked that private discussions about selling the Hamilton be paused unless the issue is brought before the council.

Council members discussed existing guidance; city staff and counsel said there is no current citywide standard but that HUD and CDC guidance exist and that the council would examine those standards and local examples. The council voted to move forward and asked staff to return with a draft ordinance addressing repair versus replacement criteria, timelines for temporary cooling when repairs are not immediate, and clear responsibilities regardless of ownership or management arrangements.

The motion passed with council direction for staff to research HUD and other local examples and bring a proposed ordinance back to the council.