Paul Dillon and Brian G. Henning: Ordinance vital to establish renters’ right to cooling

By Paul Dillon and Brian G. Henning

Five years ago next month, Spokane stood silent under an unforgiving sun. During the 2021 Northwest Heat Dome, temperatures soared to levels our community had never experienced, and the consequences were devastating. Neighbors died alone in overheated apartments. Families lost loved ones not to some abstract future climate threat, but to a very real and immediate failure to protect themselves in their own homes. Tragically, at least 19 lives were lost in Spokane County in that single event, with hundreds more suffering heat-related illness. As we approach the fifth anniversary of that tragedy, we must ask ourselves a hard question: what have we done to make sure this never happens again?

As a Spokane City Council member and as the director of the Gonzaga Institute for Climate, Water, and the Environment, we write together out of a shared responsibility to protect the health, safety and dignity of Spokane’s residents. We strongly urge passage of the proposed ordinance establishing a renters’ right to cooling. This ordinance is neither symbolic nor extreme. It is a measured, evidence-based response to a public health emergency that has already taken lives in our city.

Extreme heat is now the deadliest weather-related hazard in the United States, killing more people in most years than floods, hurricanes, and wildfires combined. Climate science is unequivocal: This risk is growing. Historically, Spokane would experience two to three extreme heat days each summer. Current climate models project that number could climb to 20-30 days per year over the next two decades. Without decisive action, preventable illness and death will increase.

Yet under current housing standards, thousands of Spokane renters are left dangerously exposed. Washington law rightly requires landlords to provide heat in winter because cold threatens life and health, however, it is our responsibility to protect the residents of our region when we must recognize, understand or acknowledge the urgent and immediate needs on this side of the state. The same legal framework has failed to keep pace with reality. In many rental units, indoor summer temperatures climb well beyond safe levels, especially during heat waves or when wildfire smoke makes it unsafe to open windows. A home that becomes dangerously hot is not “fit for human habitation.” It is hazardous.

The proposed renters’ right to cooling ordinance addresses this gap with care and fairness. It establishes a clear, performance-based standard: rental bedrooms must be capable of being kept at or below 80 degrees Fahrenheit. It allows flexibility in how this is achieved, including passive cooling measures, energy‑efficient heat pumps, and portable air conditioners. Crucially, it provides a long runway for compliance, with full requirements taking effect in 2031. Property owners are given time to plan, access incentives and make upgrades in a sensible way rather than reactively.

This is first and foremost a public health policy. Extreme heat exacerbates heart disease, respiratory illness, kidney disease, mental health conditions, and pregnancy complications. Elderly residents, young children, people with disabilities, outdoor workers and those with chronic illnesses are especially vulnerable. Many of these individuals are renters. Surveys conducted in Spokane after the heat dome show that most residents either do not leave their homes during extreme heat or cannot, and nearly a quarter lack access to air conditioning. For these households, the absence of cooling is not an inconvenience; it is a life‑threatening condition.

This is also an equity issue. Renters are more likely to live in older buildings with poor insulation, limited tree canopy, and higher exposure to urban heat islands. They also face restrictions that prevent them from installing cooling devices on their own. No one’s health or survival should depend on whether they own their home or rent it. Establishing a renters’ right to cooling ordinance affirms a basic principle: Safe housing must be safe in summer as well as in winter.

Some raise concerns about costs or housing affordability. These concerns deserve attention, but they cannot justify inaction in the face of lethal risk. The ordinance explicitly encourages partnerships, rebates and incentives to help property owners invest in efficient cooling solutions that reduce long-term energy costs. Heat pumps and improved building efficiency lower utility bills, improve comfort year-round, and increase property resilience and value. This is not anti‑housing policy; it is smart, forward‑looking housing policy.

The memory of the 2021 heat dome should not fade into a cautionary footnote. It should guide our choices. Those who died five years ago did not have the protections this ordinance would provide. We cannot change that – but we can honor their memory by ensuring that future summers do not exact the same toll.

Passing the renters’ right to cooling ordinance is a clear statement that Spokane takes climate realities seriously and values human life over complacency. It is a practical, compassionate step toward a safer, healthier city.

Paul Dillon is a Spokane City Council member, representing District 2 and is vice chair of the Finance and Administration Committee. Brian G. Henning, Ph.D., is a professor of Philosophy and Environmental Studies and the director of the Gonzaga Institute for Climate, Water, and the Environment.