LANDLORD NEWSLETTER
End-of-the-Year 2024
Goodbye...
...WELCOME NEW YEAR!
HOLIDAY OFFICE CLOSURE
Thanksgiving: Thursday, November 28th, and Friday, November 29th
Christmas: Wednesday, December 25th
New Year: Wednesday, January 1st
After a Record Hot Summer, Pressure Grows for A/C Mandates
From NYC to Ontario, lawmakers and advocates are considering new policies to protect tenants
from extreme heat.
3G Properties has been way out front on this issue. That is why we consider no heat below
55% and no air conditioning above 85% an emergency. We look after our landlord’s liability
exposure!
By Linda Poon and Curtis Heinzl
Heating on cold days is a widespread requirement for rental homes in much of Canada and the
US. Air conditioning, not so much. But as extreme heat becomes a growing health threat,
pressure is building for a change.
Lawmakers and advocates in several cities are pushing provisions to protect tenants from the
hottest days by requiring a maximum indoor temperature.
“Things are changing because they have to, something's got to give,” said Tara Raghuveer,
founding director of the Tenant Union Federation — a national “union of unions” that launched in
August. “The emergency in our homes is at a level that is actually untenable.”
New analysis of data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found heat-
related deaths more than doubled between 1999 and 2023, totaling 21,500 over that period.
From 2016 on, the data show steady increases year over year, according to the study published
in the medical journal JAMA.
New York City Council member Lincoln Restler, who represents downtown Brooklyn, proposed a
bill in July requiring landlords to install and maintain air conditioning units in rental units. From
mid-June to mid-September, temperatures inside units must stay below 78 degrees Fahrenheit
when temperatures outdoors exceed 81 degrees. If passed, landlords would get four years to
make necessary upgrades, or face fines of up to $1,250 each day for non-compliance.
In Los Angeles — where a record-breaking heat wave has caused power outages and school
closures — county officials approved a motion in January to craft an ordinance that would
establish a “safe maximum temperature threshold” for residential rental units, and require them
to be “cooling ready” so that tenants can install their own systems.
These follow similar provisions already in effect in mostly hotter parts of the US: Dallas and
Houston in Texas, Palm Springs in California, and Montgomery County in Maryland all have
some requirements that landlords provide adequate cooling to avoid exceeding a temperature
threshold, which varies by place from 80 to 85 degrees. In Phoenix, one of the hottest cities in
the US, landlords have to repair A/C units within 10 days of tenants filing a written complaint.
Of the 600 deaths in British Columbia linked to the unprecedented 2021 heat wave in the Pacific
Northwest, 98% occurred indoors. Most were reported inside homes without adequate cooling
systems.
Accounting for Costs
Landlord groups have opposed these maximum temperature proposals, saying the cost of
installing cooling systems might force them to raise rents or drive landlords who can’t bear the
cost out of the market. Mom-and-pop landlords in particular already face small margins amid
rising maintenance and insurance costs, said Alexandra Alvarado, director of marketing and
education at the American Apartment Owners Association.
But landlords aren’t necessarily opposed to adding cooling systems — or even mandates,
Alvarado said. “What is more up for debate is: Realistically, what is possible and reasonable for
property owners to do in that timeframe?” she said, referring to deadlines included in some of
the bills to meet requirements. “The other aspect is whether or not the landlord can bill the
tenant for utilities.”
Even for units that already have A/C, the costs of paying power bills can be the ultimate hurdle
for low-income renters who hesitate to use it.
Nationwide, the annual cost of cooling a home in the US has grown by more than 50% in the
last decade due to extreme heat, according to federal data, and a tenth of US households kept
their homes at unhealthy or unsafe temperatures in 2020.
“The cost of utilities is growing very rapidly, in a way that I don't think any of us predicted,” said
Kim McCarty, executive director of the Portland-based Community Alliance of Tenants in
Oregon. Her state passed a law in 2022 that made it illegal for landlords to prohibit their tenants
from installing or using portable A/C units, with a few exceptions.
Both Oregon and Portland also have programs to give out air conditioners to vulnerable
residents, but McCarty would also like to see policies that help them lower their energy bills.
Ben Martin, research director of the affordable housing group Texas Housers, says state
legislators can no longer ignore the issue of heat and air conditioning.
“The potential physical harm and death are going to become more apparent as they have in
recent years,” he said. “And so, I anticipate that we will reach a tipping point soon.”
Local Market Reports
Comparing September 2023 / 2024 Tarrant County:
Comparing September 2023 / 2024 Collin County:
Comparing September 2023 / 2024 Denton County:
(October not available yet)
Please bear in mind 3G Properties Group handles basic maintenance requests and is not a general contractor or construction company. We are happy to work with YOUR preferred vendors as long as 3G obtains proof of their liability insurance, copy of their W9 and coordinates the repairs. As your property management company, we are charged with coordinating all maintenance with your resident as part of our liability protection for both you and 3G. If the owner, resident and vendor are communicating outside of our Maintenance Coordinator and/or 3G team, this can cause significant problems. We expect to pay your vendor through our system so all of your annual expenses are reflected on your 1099. 3G Properties Group strives to provide you with a “hands off” experience as much as possible, relieving you from maintenance burdens and headaches!
Tell Everyone That You're BBB Accredited!
We are now accredited with the Better Busines Buearu.
Tell and Show Everyone You're BBB Accredited!
Consumers everywhere understand that any business who carries the BBB® Accredited Business seal is a trustworthy business, with a proven track record of ethical business practices. Don't just tell consumers you are trustworthy. Show them by proudly displaying the seal on every consumer touchpoint!
Some of these touchpoints might include your website, business cards, social media accounts, email signature, digital advertisements, company vehicles, and more. There are several versions of the BBB Accredited Business seal (digital and printed) available to you. Check them out below.
Notes from a few of our residents and other landlords!
"I've had nothing but positive interactions with 3G Properties during my 2 years as a tenant. From prompt maintenance requests to timely responses to any leasing needs, 3G is hands down the best in the business." - Terry D.
"I couldn’t have selected a better group to handle my needs for both leasing and selling my property. This was my first experience in renting property so it was important to find the right team. 3G Management was continuously accessible & responsive and made everything seamlessly easy for me throughout the process. I highly recommend Shirley and her team of professionals for any similar real estate needs. " - R Sanchez
"3G Properties is one of the most amazing property management companies in the DFW Metroplex!
Our experience with them has been amazing, and we are excited to continue on as tenants with them! Sarah (VP of Operations) is so warm and attentive. They the epitome of excellent service and we appreciate them.
Thank you 3G!" - Amanda H.
3G Properties Group | Review Us
From our 3G family to yours...
