A new bill that would require the installation of heat sensors at every federally funded rental home was introduced by New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand on Wednesday.
The legislation, named âHousing Temperature Safety Act of 2022,â came weeks after a fire in the Fordham Heights section of the Bronx that killed 17 people, including eight children. The fire at Twin Parks was caused by a space heater, according to an investigation conducted by the NYPD and FDNY.
The bill would allow federal, state, and local housing administrators to assess heat levels in real-time, which would prevent future fire tragedies, and improve fire safety and housing quality, according to Gillibrandâs office.
The push already received early support from Mayor Eric Adams, who co-authored a similar city law as Brooklyn borough president with then-Council Member Ritchie Torres, a spokesperson for the senator said. Torres, now a congressman, leads companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
