Item 3d-Recommendation to Change ECAD to Expand Requirements for Landlords_Richard Halpin

Low Income Consumer Advisory Task Force – Aug. 7, 2015

Item 3d-Recommendation to Change ECAD to Expand Requirements for Landlords_Richard Halpin — original pdf

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Recommendation Number ____ Targeted Underserved Group: Low and moderate-income renters Time Schedule: Implement in 2015 (requirement) Budget Impact: none Brief Description: Change the Energy Conservation Audit and Disclosure (ECAD) to expand the requirement that all landlords provide, in writing, the results of an energy audit to prospective tenants in advance of their signing a lease, in advance of lease renewals, or upon request to include all rental properties, including single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and units designated as condominiums. Community Need: A majority of Austin residents rent and renters are disproportionally have lower incomes. Rental properties, particularly those with lower rents are often not very energy efficient. Landlords have little incentive to improve energy efficiency at their properties because it’s the tenants who pay the electric bills. Renters of single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and units designated as condominiums are currently entirely unprotected form unexpectedly high electric bills. The status quo is that renters are often blindsided by high electric bills after signing a lease. In some cases, a rental property with higher rent, but lower electric bills would be more affordable overall. Consumers should be provided the information they need to make an educated decision about where to live. Program Description: All landlords will be subject to the energy audit and disclosure requirements established in the multifamily portion of the Energy Conservation Audit and Disclosure (ECAD) ordinance. Landlords of single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and units designated as condominiums won’t be required to make energy efficiency upgrades, but will have to get energy audits done on their properties and will have to disclose the results to prospective tenants in advance of their signing a lease, in advance of lease renewals, or upon request.