Property Owners Will Have 120 Days from the August 19 Approval to Comply. The Rule Allows Central Systems, Window Units, or Portable Equipment.
Updated September 4, 2026.
HOUSTON, Texas — Rental property owners within the City of Houston will have to provide and maintain operable air conditioning after the City Council approved a new rule that eliminates an exception that had been in place for years.
The City Council approved the measure on August 19 by a 12-2 vote. Owners have 120 days to comply, a period that pushes the implementation date to December 2026.
The ordinance does not require installing central air conditioning. A property can comply with window units, portable equipment, or another cooled-air system as long as it can maintain interior temperature within the standard established by Houston.
Homes Will No Longer Be Able to Substitute Air Conditioning with Window Screens
The ordinance amends Section 10-363 of the Houston Code, which sets the minimum responsibilities of property owners.
Until now, a property could be exempt from the requirement to provide cooled air when it had window screens. The new ordinance eliminates that exception.
Once the implementation period has passed, the habitable spaces of a rental property must have cooling equipment in good working order.
The obligation applies to spaces legally designated for activities such as living, sleeping, eating or cooking.
The System Must Meet Houston’s Temperature Standard
The equipment must be capable of maintaining the interior at a temperature of up to 20°F cooler than the outside temperature or 80°F, whichever results in the warmer temperature.
For example, when the outside temperature reaches 100°F, a system capable of keeping the space at 80°F would meet that standard.
The city does not require older buildings to be outfitted with central HVAC systems. Property owners may use other forms of cooled-air conditioning that reach the required level.
Property Owners Have 120 Days to Adapt Their Homes
The City Council extended the compliance period to 120 days before approving the ordinance.
Taking the August 19 approval as a reference, the deadline extends to mid-December 2026.
During that period, owners can install new equipment or make the necessary modifications so that the living spaces have operable air conditioning.
Complaints May Lead to Inspections and Citations
Houston will enforce the new obligation through the same process used for other violations of minimum housing standards.
A complaint filed by a tenant through the 311 system may lead to a municipal inspection. If there is a violation, the owner will have an opportunity to correct it.
Cases that are not resolved may progress to an administrative citation or a hearing before the municipal court.
The new municipal obligation does not supersede the provisions of the Texas Property Code related to repairs that materially affect a tenant’s health or safety.
The Rule Applies to Properties Within the City of Houston
The ordinance is a rule of the City of Houston. It should not be interpreted as a new municipal obligation for all homes in Harris County or in other cities in the metropolitan area.
Residents of Pasadena, Katy, Sugar Land, Pearland, The Woodlands and other jurisdictions may be subject to different standards depending on the property’s location.
Houston keeps the official details of the air conditioning ordinance for rental housing online.
Rental property owners in Houston will have to comply with the new requirement once the 120-day period established after the August 19 approval ends.
