“They could die.” That’s how one resident at Countryside Village in South Bend, Indiana, described the stakes of a new rule: remove your window A/C unit or risk eviction. For the folks living in this trailer park—many of them older adults or people with chronic health conditions—this isn’t just about comfort. It’s about survival.
Landlord-imposed bans on window air conditioners are turning up the heat—literally—on some of America’s most vulnerable renters. At Countryside Village, management’s letter was blunt: “If you have window A/C units, you must remove them. After three violations, evictions can and will be filed,” reported WNDU. The timing couldn’t be worse, with July highs in South Bend averaging 83ºF and heat waves becoming more intense every year. For people with medical conditions, the risk is real. “With my medical issues, no it is not safe,” one resident told WNDU, noting their doctor even wrote a note insisting they needed A/C.
The problem isn’t unique to Indiana. Manufactured home communities across the country are grappling with powerful landlords and limited tenant protections. As highlighted by FindLaw, residents in these parks often own their homes but rent the land, putting them in a precarious spot: “Like renters, owners of manufactured homes may be required to move off rented land at any time. But unlike renters who are being evicted, an owner of a manufactured home facing eviction must either sell the home or move it to another site”—a process that can cost $5,000 to $10,000 and is often out of reach for low-income families. Stories of abrupt evictions and rent hikes of up to 72% in some parks have become all too common rent hikes of up to 72% in some parks.
But when it comes to air conditioning, the stakes are even higher. According to the Centers for Disease Control, heat-related illnesses cause more than 700 deaths annually in the U.S., with elderly people and those with chronic health conditions at the highest risk. And as a recent review in indoor overheating intensifies due to global climate change, the health risks for marginalized communities are only growing. A study in New Orleans found that indoor temperatures in low-income homes regularly hit 89°F, even with the A/C running—because residents couldn’t afford the bills or the units just couldn’t keep up indoor temperatures in low-income homes regularly hit 89°F.
So what rights do tenants have? Here’s where the law gets tricky. While most states require landlords to keep rentals “habitable,” few mandate air conditioning—even during dangerous heat waves few mandate air conditioning—even during dangerous heat waves. But the federal Fair Housing Act does offer a lifeline: if a tenant’s disability makes them sensitive to heat, they can request a “reasonable accommodation.” That might mean asking management to allow a window A/C unit, even if the lease says otherwise. Disability Rights Texas spells it out: “A reasonable accommodation is a change in rules, policies, practices, or services that are needed to give the person with a disability an equal chance to live in a dwelling.” If a landlord refuses, tenants can fight back—by filing a complaint with HUD, raising the issue in eviction court, or seeking help from legal aid filing a complaint with HUD.
Still, affordability is a huge barrier. Portable A/C units, the alternative suggested by some landlords, can cost $300 to $700—not to mention higher utility bills. Programs like LIHEAP and the Weatherization Assistance Program can help low-income renters with cooling costs or even provide free or low-cost A/C units in some states LIHEAP and the Weatherization Assistance Program can help. Local nonprofits, churches, and community groups sometimes step in with donated units or financial aid. And savvy shoppers can find Energy Star-rated window units that keep bills lower over time Energy Star-rated window units.
The power dynamics in manufactured home communities make collective action tough, but not impossible. Some states, like Colorado, have passed laws requiring landlords to show “good cause” for eviction and to give longer notice before raising rents or changing policies. Nationally, advocates are pushing for a renter’s right to cooling—mirroring protections for heat in winter—and for more funding to help low-income families stay safe as summers get hotter advocates are pushing for a renter’s right to cooling.
As Indiana State Senator David Niezgodski put it, “It’s not just a housing issue; it’s a public health emergency.” For now, the fight continues—one window unit, one doctor’s note, and one legal challenge at a time.
