AUSTIN (KXAN) — An east Austin lady featured in a KXAN investigation after her air con went out in the course of summer time is now the foundation for an effort to modify Texas legislation.
A proposed bill filed through State Representative Sheryl Cole within the Texas Legislature would make air con restore in apartment complexes a top priority and drive landlords to do so if the AC remains off too lengthy.
When KXAN Investigates Mike Rush first talked to Thelma Reyes in July 2022, she stated, “I felt helpless. I couldn’t do anything.”
She was once having a arduous time conserving her cool.
“The thermostat read above 90 degrees,” she stated. “It was hotter in here than it was outside.”
Reyes advised KXAN her apartment’s AC didn’t paintings for 5 days, although she complained to control.
“I called every day,” she stated on the time. “Who’s going to come? When are you going to do it?”
With the assistance of her daughter, Reyes contacted her state consultant, Sheryl Cole.
“They were not responsive to me initially or to KXAN, but this bill came about to remedy her situation, which they did do eventually,” Cole stated.
Representative Cole stated she made up our minds state legislation had to trade.
“I wanted to do something to stand behind Mrs. Reyes and other people in similar situations,” Cole stated.
Last July, the Austin Tenants Council advised KXAN it was once getting, on reasonable, 5 calls a day from renters complaining of no AC.
Cole advised Investigator Mike Rush on the time she would document law to carry apartment landlords and control responsible.
In past due February 2023, she filed House Bill 2592. The measure calls for apartment complexes statewide to offer air con that maintains a temperature of 10 levels beneath the recorded temperature out of doors the apartment or 85 levels, whichever is decrease.
The bill additionally calls for landlords or control to fix or exchange misguided air con inside 5 days or give you the renter an air con unit or any other position to stick till maintenance are made.
Cole says if she will get pushback at the bill, it would possibly come from the Texas Apartment Association.
KXAN Investigates reached out to the TAA. In a commentary, the affiliation’s vice chairman of presidency affairs, David Mintz, wrote the group hasn’t taken a place at the bill but.
“While enforcement is typically through local code officials, the property code provides additional remedies in situations that affect health or safety,” Mintz wrote. “We look forward to learning more about why current law is not sufficient and additional protections may be needed.”
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