It could soon become easier for New Yorkers to find places to beat the heat during the summer.
The New York City Council passed a bill Thursday that would establish more stringent guidelines for cooling centers across the city. Those are places like libraries, community centers, senior centers and NYCHA facilities that offer free air conditioning when there’s a heat advisory in effect — meaning real-feel temperatures are forecast to hit at least 95 degrees for two or more consecutive days, or 100 degrees for any length of time.
The legislation would require the city’s Emergency Management agency to ensure widespread access to cooling centers — especially in neighborhoods that are at risk of high heat and are home to vulnerable populations — with a goal of seven cooling centers per 100,000 residents. It also calls for the agency to submit a comprehensive plan by May 2026 for operating these centers and communicating with the public about heat risks.
Councilmember Keith Powers of Manhattan cited climate change as a driving force behind his desire to author the bill, even as the city already operates hundreds of cooling centers during extreme heat events.
“While additional action must be taken by all levels of government to curb the impacts of a warming planet, there is also an urgent need to protect our constituents from heat-related emergencies that are already happening,” he said in a statement. “Cooling centers are a vital resource for all vulnerable populations, from the elderly, the homeless, those with underlying health conditions, among others.”
According to the New York State Climate Impacts Assessment, summers in the city are getting hotter. New York City has historically experienced an average of four days per year over 95 degrees, but this number is projected to increase to 14 to 32 days per year by mid-century and to 17 to 54 days per year by the end of the century.
More than 500 city residents die prematurely each year from heat-related illness, Emergency Management officials say. Those who lack air conditioning are at higher risk, and about one in 10 New Yorkers don’t have home AC.
The measure now heads to Mayor Eric Adams for review. At a Council hearing in April, Adams administration officials testified the provisions were “largely already in action” under existing practices and laws.
Zachary Nosanchuk, a spokesperson for the mayor, echoed those comments in a statement Friday, saying the administration supports "any initiative to expand this critical relief."
New Yorkers can find cooling centers near them on the city’s website or by calling 311.
This story has been updated with additional information.
