Valley Apartment Tenants Endure Month of A/C Outage, Relief Finally Arrives for Some

PHOENIX — A judge has ordered the Buenas on 32nd apartment complex to provide alternate accommodations for tenants without functional air conditioning. This decision follows a significant heatwave that impacted numerous residents.

Tenant Sterling Blackwell, who has lived at the complex for two years, reported his A/C has been inoperative, as have over a hundred others. “It was very, very hot,” he recalled, highlighting the extreme conditions that Arizona faced this summer.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes intervened, filing a lawsuit against the management of Buenas Communities LLC for failing to meet state and city regulations. According to local laws, apartment temperatures must not exceed 82 degrees, a standard several units failed to meet.

During the recent court hearings, Judge Frank Moskowitz emphasized the health risks of living in such conditions. “No one wants anybody to get sick, no one wants anybody to die,” he remarked. With this in mind, he directed the apartment complex to arrange temporary housing for affected tenants.

Subsequent testing of five apartments was ordered to verify compliance. Blackwell’s unit was among those assessed, with monitoring occurring several times daily. While official temperature readings remain pending, an infrared thermometer indicated Blackwell’s apartment was a comfortable 73 to 74 degrees.

In another unit, a resident named Eddie experienced a brief respite as his air conditioning resumed functioning after nearly 70 days without relief. His apartment recorded a temperature of 75 degrees. “I hope it just stays like this,” he expressed, reflecting the relief felt by many.

Further tests revealed that two other apartments maintained temperatures below 78 degrees. However, Edward Thompson expressed continued frustration, noting his A/C remained inadequate, with temperatures reaching 82.5 degrees—just over the legal limit. “Since the A/C went down, I find other places to hang out,” he shared.

The response from officials and improved conditions for some tenants signal a step toward resolution. Yet, for others, the battle for a comfortable living environment continues amid the sweltering Arizona heat.