All households in Albuquerque may now be required to have cooling systems.
Councilors Monday night approved a bill to ensure residents have cooling systems installed in their households.
Yes: Joaquín Baca, Brook Bassan, Tammy Fiebelkorn, Klarissa Peña, Nichole Rogers
No: Dan Champine, Renée Grout, Dan Lewis, Louie Sanchez
Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn introduced the legislation because the city’s housing code requires households to have heating but not cooling, which she says is a “basic human right,” especially with increasing temperatures.
The bill originally proposed requiring cooling systems only in residential rental properties, but a City Council committee changed the requirement to all housing units.
Fiebelkorn attempted to propose an original version of the bill Monday to require cooling systems only for rental properties, but the council kept the requirement for all housing units.
“While I am fine with it being for everyone, I just want to have the conversation here at full council, because I am only really concerned on tenants,” Fiebelkorn said. “I think if you can afford to buy a house in this day and age, you can afford to put in your own cooling unit, but if that is the will of the Council, I’m fine.”
Councilors also ensured that portable cooling systems can only be used temporarily while permanent systems are being repaired or replaced.
Read more about the bill here.
Nonprofit journalism like this depends on readers like you. This story is supported by City Desk ABQ, a nonprofit newsroom project of Citizen Media Group supporting news and politics coverage that inspires readers to participate in local democracy. Become a supporter to keep City Desk free and support nonprofit, independent journalists covering politics and policy f0r New Mexico newsrooms.