I’m proud to share that, after walking through hundreds of units in a housing complex where families were living in 90-plus-degree heat, we turned a community engagement moment into legislation. What began as door-to-door wellness checks with my team in the Office of Community Engagement & Constituent Services, the Office of Emergency Management, the Department of Health, and CERT volunteers became a clear call for change.
Under the existing code, landlords were required to provide heat, but there was no enforceable standard for air conditioning systems once installed. We saw the human cost of that gap: seniors, children, medically vulnerable residents left without relief as the system failed and help was slow. With that insight, we worked across departments to build a solution.
The result is Bill 79-25: it says that for multiple-dwelling properties that already include air conditioning, landlords must maintain those systems during the summer months, and if a failure happens, they must provide temporary relief such as fans, portable units, or alternate cooling accommodations. It also gives the County the authority to act, recover costs, and impose fines when
owners don’t comply.
owners don’t comply.
Even better, the bill passed unanimously, 7-0, in the County Council, showing that protecting residents from dangerous heat isn’t a partisan issue. This legislation reflects what happens when we listen to residents, coordinate across agencies, and turn engagement into action.
This is how community engagement becomes legislation.
Photo from the 2024 Wellness Check
Photo from the 2024 Wellness Check
Photo from the 2025 Bill Signing
