Subject
title
Cooling Requirements for Multi-Family and Single-Family Rental Properties
end
Department
CPDS - Inspection Services
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Mayor and Council review the presentation, discuss the rental license process, and provide the following feedback to guide next steps:
1. Do you support requiring a means for cooling in all single-family, townhomes, and multi- family properties utilized as rental properties?
2. If yes to #1, do you support an immediate implementation, upon adoption, for multi-family properties and a 1-year grace period for single-family and townhomes?
Change in Law or Policy
Upon its effective date of June 1, 2027 (proposed), the draft City Code Chapter 5, Building and Property Maintenance Regulations will include language to require cooling in all properties that will be utilized as a rental property, exceeding the newly adopted regulations enforced at the State level and the existing regulations in Montgomery County.
Discussion
The Code Enforcement team has 7 full-time community enhancement inspectors, one community enhancement manager, and an administrative assistant. The duties performed by this team include responding to property maintenance complaints, signs in the right-of-way, and inspections of single-family, hotels/motels, and multi-family units, which includes standing up the new Enhanced Inspection Program. By the end of this calendar year, it is expected that the responsibility for signs in the right-of-way and all other zoning-related tasks will be transitioned back to the newly onboarded Senior Zoning Inspector.
In Fall 2024, a comprehensive rewrite of City Code Chapter 18, Rental Facilities and Landlord-Tenant Relations, was identified as a key action in the City’s Housing Strategies Work Plan to further housing stability and ensure that rental standards adequately protect residents. Research and engagement for the Chapter 18 rewrite began in Spring 2025 and included multiple community engagement forums where residents, housing advocates, landlords and partner agencies provided input. A significant takeaway from these forums was the city’s lack of air-conditioning requirements for rental properties, an inconsistency not only with Montgomery County’s laws but also with evolving state-level legislation. Currently, both the International Building Code and the International Property Maintenance Code contain requirements mandating adequate heating be provided during winter months, there is currently no requirement for cooling during the summer months when extreme heat poses substantial health and safety risks.
Extreme heat has become increasingly dangerous in recent years, and Rockville’s summer climate underscores the seriousness of this concern. Between June 1 and September 30, 2025, Rockville experienced sustained warm temperatures, with average highs of approximately 81.6°F in June, 87.4°F in July, 86.2°F in August and 79.5°F in September. These persistent heat levels can create hazardous indoor living conditions for residents in units without adequate cooling, particularly older adults, infants, individuals with chronic illnesses and other vulnerable populations. Extreme heat is known to increase risks of dehydration, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, respiratory distress and cardiovascular strain. Without air conditioning, interior temperatures often exceed safe thresholds quickly, even when outdoor temperatures are in the 80s. During prolonged heat events, indoor temperatures can climb dramatically, making living spaces unsafe and reducing the ability of tenants to sleep, work and manage day-to-day activities. The public health impacts are not theoretical; heat is one of the leading weather-related causes of death in the United Staties and medically vulnerable residents disproportionately bear these risks.
In response to the community feedback and in recognition of these health concerns, the code enforcement team conducted a detailed review of the city’s rental housing stock. There are currently 12,918 multi-family dwelling units in the city. Only one multi-family property lacks central air conditioning, however, the property owner supplies window AC units for all three rental units within the building. Therefore, 100% of the 12,918 multi-family units in the city are currently equipped with a means of cooling during the summer months. To assess whether gaps exist in single-family rentals, the code enforcement team began collecting data in May 2026. To date, there are 2,255 licensed single-family rental properties. Of 234 single-family rental properties inspected, a means for cooling was noted in 91 properties (38%), illustrating an area where tenant protections need strengthening.
To ensure residents continue to have access to safe, livable conditions during hot weather, staff propose amending both the International Property Maintenance Code and the International Building Code to require a means of cooling in all newly constructed and existing multi-family dwelling units. Staff further proposes requiring cooling from June 1 through September 30 at temperatures not to exceed 80°F. This requirement would also apply to single-family dwellings used as rentals, creating consistency across the city’s rental housing inventory, exceeding Montgomery County and state requirements. This new legislation will ensure all renters, regardless of building type, are afforded basic health protections during increasingly severe summer heat.
Beginning in March 2020, Montgomery County requires new and existing properties to maintain central air conditioning or individual air conditioning units in all rental townhomes and multi-family properties. The systems must be maintained in good working order between June 1 and September 30 and ensure a temperature not to exceed 80°F is maintained in all habitable spaces. Landlords may apply for an extension of up to six months to comply with the requirements and may be granted if electrical upgrades are required and the upgrades would cause financial hardship to the landlord. For 12 months after adoption of this legislation, properties that were pending review and approval before the Planning Board, Board of Appeals or Office of Zoning and Administration Hearings were considered for delayed implementation not to exceed the sooner of the completion of the development or 24 months. Tenants can opt out of air conditioning in their unit if their lease is amended to specify the additional amount of rent that would be required should air conditioning be provided and that the tenant agrees to exclude air conditioning from their unit.
Effective June 1, 2026, the State of Maryland requires newly built apartment buildings with 10 or more units be equipped with working air conditioning. In addition, air conditioning must remain operational in existing air-conditioned properties and effective October 1, 2026, renovated buildings that are not equipped with air conditioning are required to add air conditioning where the building undergoes major electrical or heating renovations. Existing multi-family properties that are not equipped with air conditioning and are not undergoing major electrical or heating renovations are not required to add a means for cooling. The systems must be maintained in good working order between June 1 and September 30 and ensure a temperature not to exceed 80°F is maintained in all habitable spaces.
The chart below summarizes the current Montgomery County and state requirements compared to what staff propose in the city.
|
Jurisdiction |
Montgomery County |
Maryland SB 12 |
City of Rockville |
|
Effective Date |
March 2, 2020 |
June 1, 2026 |
June 1, 2027 |
|
Building Type |
Townhomes and Multi-Family Rentals (Single-Family excluded) |
Multi-Family Rentals with 10 or More Units (Single-Family and Townhomes excluded) |
All Multi-Family, Single-Family and Townhome Rentals |
|
Cooling Requirement |
Must Cool to 80°F or below |
Must Cool to 80°F or below |
Must Cool to 80°F or below |
|
Cooling Season |
June 1 to September 30 |
June 1 to September 30 |
June 1 to September 30 |
|
Type of AC Required |
Central AC or Individual/Window Units |
Landlord Controlled or Tenant Controlled Units, with Renovation Triggers |
Landlord Controlled, Tenant Controlled or Individual/Window Units |
|
Historic Property Exemption |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Detached Single-Family Rentals |
Exempt |
Exempt |
Not Exempt |
|
Renovation Trigger |
None |
Yes, AC Required in Existing Buildings if Electrical or Heating Systems are Substantially Upgraded |
None |
As indicated above, staff proposed to expand on the legislation required by both the State and Montgomery County by requiring a means for cooling in new multi-family construction and existing townhomes and single-family properties that will be utilized as a rental property. Staff suggests an implementation period of 1 year for single-family and townhome rentals only, to give adequate time to owners of single-family rentals to provide for a means for cooling. No implementation period is recommended for multi-family properties, therefore, the Code Enforcement team will begin issuing violation notices, upon receipt of and confirmation of a complaint, once the new law is adopted.
Mayor and Council History
Housing is one of the Mayor and Council’s five focus areas. In June 2024, a high-level briefing was presented outlining the city’s housing crisis and policy landscape. Later in 2024, there were three work sessions on the city’s housing strategies, during which updating City Code Chapter 18, Rental Facilities and Landlord-Tenant Relations, was approved by the Mayor and Council as one of the strategies. In November 2026, the Inspections Services Division presented a work session to discuss the rental license process and proposed changes that introduced the Enhanced Inspection Program. In May 2026, the updated Chapter 18 was approved by Mayor and Council.
Public Notification and Engagement
Landlords and property owners will be notified by letter. In addition, the new language will be added to all rental licenses.
Next Steps
The direction received from the Mayor and Council will be implemented as staff moves forward with changes to the requirements for cooling. Below are the action items for the next steps, with the target completion dates:
1. Amend pertinent sections of Chapter 5 - Spring 2027
2. Implement public education campaign
3. Implement changes to cooling requirements for multi-family properties immediately upon adoption; implement single-family and townhomes upon completion of the delayed implementation period - June 2027 or June 2028.