Renters Call For Added Protections As California Faces Another Heat Wave

Here are the morning’s top stories on Thursday, September 5, 2024…

• California is once again facing a major heat wave. The extreme heat can be life-threatening for many Californians, especially those without air conditioning in their homes. And there’s no protections in place for renters looking to get some relief.
• Cities that aren’t following state housing laws are on notice: California Governor Gavin Newsom says he’ll sign a bill that will impose hefty penalties for those that don’t follow the rules.
• The U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday it’s opened an investigation into whether state prison officials are protecting the people incarcerated at two state women’s prisons from being sexually abused by prison staff.

As California’s Central Valley Bakes, Calls Grow For Renter Protections

This summer has been particularly scorching for families across much of California, including the Central Valley. Several prolonged heat waves have brought triple digit temperatures to the area.   

During the first half of July, temperatures hit daily records across the San Joaquin Valley, including 114 degrees in Bakersfield and Fresno on July 7. Nearby Hanford recorded its longest consecutive stretch of days at or above 105 degrees in early July. Experts say the future will be even worse due to climate change. Without reducing emissions or increasing people’s access to adequate air conditioning, excessive heat could kill more than 11,000 Californians annually by 2050, researchers predict.

Yet no matter how high the mercury climbs, renters can’t force their landlords to install air conditioners or take other measures to protect them. Although landlords must maintain AC units they have installed, California law doesn’t require them to provide it, and there’s no upper limit on temperatures inside rental properties.

Advocates are calling on local and state officials to act. They point out that California law requires landlords to provide heat during the winter months so tenants can keep their homes at or above 70 degrees. Given California’s increasingly hot climate, they say, it’s time to protect tenants from high temperatures as well.

Governor Newsom Warns Cities Of Consequences If They Don’t Follow Housing Laws 

Governor Gavin Newsom said he plans to sign a bill that would give the state more power to fine cities if they don’t obey housing laws.

SB 1037 is authored by San Francisco State Senator Scott Wiener. The measure would allow the state to fine cities up to $50,000 for every month they’re in violation of certain housing laws. It only applies in specific circumstances and only if a court finds that the city is acting in bad faith. The money collected through the fines would go towards building affordable housing in those cities. 

In a statement, Wiener said “I’m thrilled that the Governor is continuing that commitment to meeting California’s housing goals by vowing to sign SB 1037 into law to provide the Attorney General with better tools for swift accountability when cities engage in egregious violations.” 

Justice Department Investigating Sexual Abuse Allegations At California Women’s Prisons

The U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday that it has opened an investigation into allegations that correctional officers systematically sexually abused incarcerated women at two state-run California prisons.

Authorities found “significant justification” to open an investigation into the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla and the California Institution for Women in Chino, the DOJ said in a news release. Both are run by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

The corrections department said in a statement Wednesday that it does not tolerate sexual abuse in its prisons and that it welcomes the investigation.