Portland is taking steps to establish a "right to cooling" for renters. The city plans to require landlords to provide cooling in rental units as heatwaves become more common. The move follows the 72 deaths in Multnomah County during the 2021 heat dome event, showing a need for updated housing regulations, according to the City of Portland.
Oregon has laws requiring rental units to maintain minimum temperatures, ensuring residents are not left in the cold, the Office of Commissioner Candace Avalos said. Avalos, who previously led the Portland environmental justice group Verde, said, "extreme heat is just as deadly, especially for seniors, people with disabilities, low-income households, and those living in older, poorly insulated apartments." Efforts to protect residents need to address both cold and heat, as reported by the City of Portland.
Ductless heat pumps, which provide heating and cooling, have been installed in Portland homes, sometimes at no cost through the Portland Clean Energy Fund. Currently, landlords decide on these installations, not renters, leading to discussions on expanding access and encouraging landlord participation. At Verde, as Avalos said, "we worked with a rental building owner to do exactly that: we retrofitted the apartment complex with DHPs, using available incentives." This shows how property owners can work with programs to add Ductless heat pumps, and Portland is working to make cooling a basic tenant right, as stated by the City of Portland.
