Why California backed down from forcing landlords to keep residents cool

• Toad’s Market owner Memphis Perez restocks his store in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles during a hot summer afternoon on Aug. 25, 2025. The store does not have a fan or an AC unit. (Photo by Jules Hotz for CalMatters) • Toad’s Market owner Memphis Perez stands behind the counter of his store in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles during a hot summer afternoon on Aug. 25, 2025. The store does not have a fan or an AC unit. (Photo by Jules Hotz for CalMatters) • A small AC unit sits in the upper window of a building in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles on Aug. 25, 2025. (Photo by Jules Hotz for CalMatters) • Tomatoes in plastic bags at Toad’s Market in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, during a hot summer afternoon on Aug. 25, 2