Spokane’s unfunded AC mandate could cost landlords millions

(The Center Square) – Landlords could now face millions of dollars in new costs after the Spokane City Council imposed on Wednesday what local housing providers have called another “unfunded mandate.”

With a 5-2 vote, the officials passed a proposal from Councilmember Paul Dillon, Kate Telis and Sarah Dixit that allows tenants to install air conditioning at their landlords’ expense. Council President Betsy Wilkerson and Councilmember Michael Cathcart voted against it after requesting deferrals on Tuesday.

While narrowed in its final form, the mayor raised concerns about the policy in an email to the council on Tuesday, expressing appreciation for the intent while warning about a lack of enforcement funding.

“Adding new enforcement obligations to the Code Enforcement Department without a plan and path to add new resources to the department is not sustainable,” Mayor Lisa Brown emailed them on Tuesday.

The impact on code enforcement could pale in comparison to the new unfunded mandate on ...