Spokane Right to Cooling Law for Rental Owners

Spokane’s Final Cooling Requirement at a Glance

Under the final ordinance, a residential rental dwelling must have cooling equipment that achieves adequate cooling in at least one qualifying room. The ordinance defines a room as an area used for leisure or sleeping and excludes kitchens and bathrooms.

Cooling equipment may include central air conditioning, an evaporative cooler or a qualifying portable cooling device. The final ordinance does not require one particular cooling system for every property.

The ordinance defines adequate cooling according to whether the available cooling is sufficient to avoid risks to tenant health, including heat exhaustion, dehydration and the worsening of cardiovascular or respiratory conditions. Unlike earlier drafts, the final definition does not establish an 80-degree numerical standard.

What Changed From the Original Spokane Proposal?

The proposal introduced in April 2026 described a much broader requirement involving bedroom temperatures, an 80-degree threshold and a future compliance schedule. Those details received significant attention while the ordinance moved through public review, amendments and City Council consideration.

The final ordinance adopted by the Council uses a different standard:

• Adequate cooling must be available in at least one qualifying room rather than every bedroom.
• Adequate cooling is defined according to health risk rather than a specific indoor temperature.
• Central air conditioning is not the only potentially qualifying form of cooling equipment.
• The operative final language does not include the earlier 2031 or 2032 bedroom-cooling phase-in described in draft materials.
• Separate requirements apply to rental dwellings permitted for construction on or after January 1, 2027.

Owners should rely on the final ordinance rather than earlier news articles, public presentations or draft summaries. The City of Spokane’s final announcement and the July 29 City Council meeting record provide the most relevant official starting points.

What Types of Cooling Equipment May Qualify?

The ordinance identifies central air conditioning, evaporative coolers and portable cooling devices as forms of cooling equipment. A portable cooling device may include a window-mounted unit or a floor unit that does not require permanent alteration of the rental.

Whether a particular device provides adequate cooling depends on the property, room, equipment, installation and actual operating conditions. Owners should consider:

• The room that will be cooled
• The equipment’s capacity and condition
• The dwelling’s electrical capacity
• Window security and emergency egress
• Drainage and moisture management
• Manufacturer installation instructions
• Applicable building, electrical and safety requirements

Owners should not assume that the presence of an old or inoperable device establishes compliance. The equipment must provide the cooling required by the ordinance, and new-construction equipment must be maintained in good working order.

Portable Cooling Devices and Tenant Restrictions

The final ordinance states that a landlord may not prohibit or restrict a tenant from installing or using a portable cooling device except as permitted by Washington law. State requirements allow certain restrictions when installation would create electrical, building-code, egress, security or property-damage concerns.

A restriction should therefore be based on a documented safety or property condition rather than a blanket policy against portable air conditioners. Owners should review lease language, building rules, electrical limitations and installation procedures with qualified legal and technical professionals.

What Happens After a Tenant Gives Written Notice?

If a dwelling does not have cooling equipment that achieves adequate cooling in at least one qualifying room, the ordinance allows a tenant to provide written notice of the condition to the landlord.

If more than 72 hours pass after the landlord receives the written notice and the condition has not been corrected, the ordinance identifies several potential tenant remedies. Depending on the circumstances and applicable law, a tenant may be able to:

• Terminate the rental agreement through written notice
• Pursue other remedies available under local or state law
• Arrange for qualifying cooling equipment and deduct the documented cost from rent, subject to the ordinance’s process and limit

The initial deduction limit is $500 and is scheduled to adjust annually on June 1 based on inflation. When equipment is purchased through this specific deduction process, the ordinance addresses ownership and maintenance responsibilities for that equipment.

Owners and tenants should obtain legal advice before relying on a particular remedy, deduction or lease-termination procedure. The Hornberger Group does not provide legal advice or determine whether a tenant or owner has satisfied a legal notice requirement.

Cooling Requirements for New Rental Construction

For a rental dwelling whose construction permits are issued on or after January 1, 2027, the landlord must provide cooling equipment that conforms to the law applicable at the time of installation and is maintained in good working order.

Developers and rental-property investors planning new construction should address cooling during design, electrical planning, permitting and equipment selection rather than treating it as a later operational decision.

New Lease and Renewal Notices

The ordinance requires new leases and renewals signed after its effective date to include a separate and prominent notice explaining tenant rights, responsibilities and restrictions related to cooling equipment.

Rental owners should confirm the required notice language and delivery procedures before changing their lease packets. The notice should not be buried in unrelated lease language or replaced with an informal explanation.

The Hornberger Group’s leasing and tenant placement process coordinates lease preparation and move-in documentation for qualifying rentals, but legal forms and disclosures should be reviewed whenever City or state requirements change.

Hardship Extensions for Qualifying Properties

Spokane Code Enforcement may grant an owner additional time to satisfy the one-room cooling requirement when the ordinance’s conditions are met. The owner must demonstrate both an undue hardship and an intention to install a central or permanent non-central cooling system that cannot practicably be completed by the applicable deadline.

Examples of potential hardship listed in the ordinance include significant financial hardship, major capital improvements, substantial electrical upgrades and certain landmark or historic-property conditions. The presence of one of these conditions does not automatically produce an extension.

Extensions may be granted in increments of no more than two years. A renewal depends on Code Enforcement determining that the owner is making meaningful progress toward compliance.

What Spokane Rental Owners Should Review Now

Owners of rentals inside Spokane city limits should evaluate each property rather than assuming that existing equipment is sufficient. A practical review should document:

• Which qualifying room can be cooled
• What cooling equipment is currently available
• Whether the equipment operates properly
• Whether electrical capacity supports safe use
• Whether windows, drainage, security or egress affect installation
• Which repairs or improvements may be necessary
• How written tenant notices will be received and escalated
• Whether lease and renewal packets contain the required cooling notice
• Whether major improvements, permitting or specialist work may be needed

Property-specific cooling work may be coordinated through The Hornberger Group’s rental property maintenance and repair services. Properties needing larger owner-approved improvements may also require planning through our value-add remodeling process.

Does the Spokane Ordinance Apply Outside City Limits?

Ordinance C36877 is a City of Spokane requirement. It should not automatically be applied to rentals in Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Airway Heights, Cheney, unincorporated Spokane County or North Idaho.

Washington state requirements concerning portable cooling devices may still apply to rentals elsewhere in Washington. Idaho follows different state and local requirements. Owners should identify the property’s actual jurisdiction before relying on any summary of cooling, habitability or tenant-notice obligations.

How Professional Property Management Supports Cooling Planning

Cooling requirements connect several parts of rental operations, including property inspections, tenant communication, maintenance intake, electrical capacity, vendor coordination, lease documents, owner approvals and recordkeeping.

The Hornberger Group provides full-service property management for qualifying long-term rentals across Spokane and North Idaho. For rentals inside the City of Spokane, our management process can help owners document property conditions, coordinate approved maintenance and improvement work and keep relevant property records organized.

Property management does not replace legal or engineering advice. Owners facing a compliance dispute, a tenant remedy, a hardship-extension request or questions about the ordinance’s application should consult the City of Spokane and qualified legal or technical professionals.

Official Spokane Cooling Ordinance Resources

• City of Spokane announcement on Ordinance C36877
• Spokane City Council meeting and voting record
• Final Ordinance C36877 document

This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Ordinance implementation, forms and enforcement guidance may change. Confirm current requirements with the City of Spokane or qualified legal counsel before acting on a specific tenancy or property.

Prepare Your Spokane Rental for the New Cooling Requirements

Cooling compliance can involve equipment selection, electrical capacity, safe installation, maintenance planning, tenant communication and updated lease documentation. If you own a qualifying long-term rental in Spokane, The Hornberger Group can review the property management circumstances and coordinate appropriate operational next steps.

Call (509) 565-8659 or request a complimentary rental analysis to discuss professional property management for your rental.