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Vance questions authority of US judges to challenge Trump; UAW contract negotiations at VW focus on higher wages, health care, retirement; Report highlights how Georgia can unlock rural infrastructure, broadband; Leftover fish parts could help keep industrial fishing waste low.

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President Donald Trump approves 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum. Democrats who oppose dismantling the agency have been denied access to the Department of Education and some places buck policy trends on sex education and immigration.

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Medical debt, which tops $90 billion has an outsized impact on rural communities, a new photography book shares the story of 5,000 schools built for Black students between 1912 and 1937, and anti-hunger advocates champion SNAP.

TX looks at ways to protect apartment tenants during extreme weather

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Friday, January 24, 2025   

Extreme weather has hit Texas over the last few weeks bringing snow to many parts of the state.

During cold weather, landlords are required to ensure renters have adequate heat. Chapter 27 of the City of Dallas code establishes minimum property standards for all residential buildings, structures and premises.

Ella Caudill, attorney for the Dallas Eviction Advocacy Center, said property owners have 24 to 48 hours to correct life-threatening conditions, including heating and cooling problems.

"If they're having heating issues and their landlord is refusing to fix their heater their only option is to go through and file a repair and remedy case," Caudill pointed out. "In order to file one of those they do have to be current on rent."

She added tenants can also fix the problems themselves and hope to get reimbursed by their landlord.

Cities nationwide are looking for ways to address the problems of extreme weather conditions brought on by climate change. Many are requiring landlords to install heat pumps in their buildings.

Vince Romanin, founder and CEO of the heating and cooling company Gradient, noted while it is not mandatory in Texas, the technology is more efficient and easier on the environment.

"A heat pump delivers three to five times as much heat to the room as the energy it spends," Romanin explained. "If you have an electric heater, you spend one unit of electricity and you put one unit of heat into the room. If you have an electric heat pump you can put three to five times as much heat into the room."

He added they are working to integrate the heat pumps with backup generators and battery storage systems in case the Texas power grid fails like it did in 2021.

This story is based on original reporting by Maria Ramos Pacheco for The Dallas Morning News (paywall).


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