Phoenix is baking under temperatures exceeding 110 degrees, and for residents at a Glendale apartment complex without working air conditioning, it's not just uncomfortable. It's dangerous.
Attorney General Kris Mayes (D-AZ) sent a formal demand letter this week to Asset Living, LLC and Spectra West Apartments, ordering the complex to immediately repair its cooling systems or face potential legal consequences.
The letter follows consumer complaints and local news reports indicating that most, if not all, units at the complex lack working air conditioning, with indoor temperatures reportedly reaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit, well above the 82-degree threshold considered safe for indoor living.
"We are in the middle of extreme summer heat with temperatures climbing to over 110 degrees across the metro-Phoenix area," Mayes said. "It is unacceptable for residents to be without proper cooling in this dangerous weather."
Arizona Extreme Heat
Adding to the issue, Heat-related indoor deaths in Maricopa County last year included 111 cases involving non-functioning or underperforming air conditioning systems, a sobering reminder of what extreme heat can do when cooling fails.
Mayes' office alleges that Spectra West's own advertising, which promotes air conditioning and on-site maintenance as amenities, combined with its failure to disclose ongoing cooling problems, may violate both the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act and applicable landlord-tenant law.
Violations of the Consumer Fraud Act can carry civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation, along with repayment of profits and restitution to affected tenants.
The demand letter sets a deadline of 5:00 p.m. on Friday, July 10, for all air-conditioning systems to be fully repaired by a licensed technician, with written proof submitted to the Attorney General's Office.
In the meantime, the complex is required to provide residents with portable air conditioning units capable of cooling units to 82 degrees or below, or offer alternative housing at no cost to tenants until repairs are complete.
The timing couldn't be more urgent because Arizona is facing an Extreme Heat Warning that remains in effect through Thursday evening, with temperatures forecast to reach 114 degrees Thursday afternoon and remain above 110 degrees through the weekend.
