Refrigerators, stoves would be required for new leases of residences under proposed California bill

A proposed California bill would require working stoves and refrigerators for new leases of residential rental properties.

"At the start of 2019, me and my roommate moved into a really nice apartment, but it had no fridge, so it was a great place, so we took it, but we had to get a fridge off of Craigslist," said Dan Acosta of Hollywood.

Adrian Granada said her apartment unit did not have a refrigerator when she moved in, and she had to use a hot plate for six months before buying a second-hand stove -- for about $700, or the equivalent of half her monthly rent.

Currently, California law does not mandate that rental units include those appliances, leading to confusion and frustration among some renters -- especially those who are new to an area.

"The person giving you the tour would be like, 'Oh, you're responsible for getting your fridge, removing it when you leave," podcast host Sarah Fraser said on her eponymous show. "We were like, 'OK, this is crazy. Like, we have to pay for this? We have to pay for the installation?'"

A bill introduced by California Assemblymember Tina McKinnor would change that.

"A working stove and a working refrigerator are not a luxury," McKinnor said. "They are a necessary part of modern life."

If the bills passes, it will go into effect Jan. 1, 2026.