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The Context
In June 2026, the Mamdani administration released a PSA urging New Yorkers to prepare for extreme heat throughout the summer. Heat is the deadliest weather hazard in New York — most heat deaths happen indoors, in apartments without working air conditioning.
A new city law will eventually require landlords to provide cooling on request — but its obligations don't begin until 2028–2030 (we covered that law separately). This guide is about what exists for tenants right now, this summer.
Cooling Centers: Free, Citywide, Open During Heat Emergencies
When the city declares a heat emergency, it activates a network of cooling centers — air-conditioned public spaces (libraries, community centers, senior centers) open to anyone free of charge.
How to find one: call 311 or use the city's online Cool Options map when a heat emergency is declared. Centers are activated only during declared emergencies, so check before heading out. Many sites are senior-friendly and accessible.
Beyond formal centers, the city's Cool Options approach points to everyday cooled public spaces — libraries, museums, public pools — as legitimate places to ride out dangerous heat.
Free Air Conditioners for Eligible Households
The single most underused program: the HEAP Cooling Assistance Component. The Home Energy Assistance Program is a federally funded program run at the state level by New York's Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) and administered locally in the five boroughs by NYC's Human Resources Administration (HRA). Each summer it provides free air conditioner purchase and installation for income-eligible households — with priority for households with medical conditions aggravated by heat, seniors, and young children.
The catch: funding is limited and applications are first-come, first-served, typically opening in late spring and running out before summer ends. If you or someone in your household qualifies, apply as early as possible — through NYC's HRA at nyc.gov/hra, 311, or your local HEAP office.
Blackouts: Your Rights When the Power Fails
Heat waves strain the grid, and outages follow. What tenants should know:
- Report outages to Con Edison (or PSEG in the Rockaways) immediately — and separately to your landlord if building systems (elevator, water pump) are down.
- Food spoilage reimbursement: after prolonged outages, Con Edison has historically accepted claims for spoiled food and medicine. Eligibility and reimbursement amounts vary by outage and are determined by the utility. Document losses with photos and receipts, and file promptly — claims windows are short.
- Building systems are the landlord's duty. If a blackout knocks out your building's water pump or elevator and the landlord fails to restore service promptly once power returns, that's a maintenance issue — call 311.
- Medical equipment: if someone in your home depends on electrically powered life-sustaining equipment, register with Con Edison's life-sustaining equipment program now, before an outage — registered customers get priority notification and restoration attention.
Hot Apartments and Your Existing Rights
There is no general legal maximum indoor temperature for apartments today (that's what the future cooling law begins to change). But existing rules still help:
- If your building has central air conditioning, the landlord must maintain it as a required service — file a 311/HPD complaint if it fails.
- Rent-stabilized tenants can seek a rent reduction through DHCR for failure to maintain services, including building cooling systems that existed when they moved in.
- Dangerous conditions — a unit so hot it's uninhabitable for a vulnerable resident, broken windows that won't open, failed building ventilation — can support HPD complaints under the warranty of habitability.
A Quick Summer Checklist
- Save 311 and check cooling center status at the first heat emergency
- Apply for HEAP cooling assistance now if eligible — funding runs out
- Register life-sustaining equipment with Con Edison before an outage
- Photograph your fridge contents — it makes spoilage claims easier
- Check on elderly neighbors during heat emergencies; most heat deaths happen alone, indoors
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find a cooling center in NYC? Call 311 or check the city's Cool Options map during a declared heat emergency. Centers are free and open to everyone, but only activated during emergencies.
Can I get a free air conditioner in NYC? Income-eligible households can receive a free AC with installation through HEAP's Cooling Assistance Component. Funding is limited and first-come, first-served — apply early via 311 or nyc.gov/hra.
Does my landlord have to provide air conditioning right now? Generally no — the new cooling law's obligations begin in 2028–2030. But if your building has existing central AC, the landlord must maintain it, and failures can be reported to 311/HPD.
Can I get reimbursed for spoiled food after a blackout? Con Edison has historically accepted food and medicine spoilage claims after prolonged outages. Eligibility and amounts vary by outage and are determined by the utility. Document with photos and receipts and file promptly.
Related NYC Housing Guides
- Do NYC Landlords Have to Provide Air Conditioning? What the New Law Requires
- What Is the Warranty of Habitability?
- How to Check HPD Violations for Any NYC Building
Sources: NYC Mayor's Office PSA, June 10, 2026; NYC Emergency Management (Cool Options); NY OTDA HEAP Cooling Assistance (locally administered by NYC HRA); Con Edison outage and claims policies. This article is for informational purposes only.
