When Arizona's summer heat intensifies, home is supposed to be a place to cool off. But some renters in Glendale say their apartments have become dangerously hot as air conditioning repeatedly fails during a heat wave.
What's happening?
Inside some units at Spectra Apartments in Glendale, residents say temperatures can rise past 100 degrees when the cooling cuts out. In reporting from AZFamily, tenant Sandy Bispo described spending the last year getting through those outages with fans, chilled rags, and spray bottles filled with cold water.
"It gets so bad sometimes we can't breathe. The heat is so, so extreme," Bispo said.
Bispo said the heat has also endangered her pet.
"She got so overheated she became limp. She couldn't even walk. I packed her with ice and sprayed her down."
The persistent A/C problems have also prompted resident Lauren Bonaparte to consider whether to stay at the complex.
TCD Picks » Good Store Spotlight
Get 10% off your next purchase with code TCD10
"I might as well be outside. Literally, it's just basically four walls and a roof over my head. This does not feel like home. I hate coming here," Bonaparte said.
Residents also told AZFamily that generators have not provided dependable cooling and that the property offers no on-site place to cool down when the system goes offline.
Why does it matter?
In Arizona, a broken A/C unit is a serious problem, not just an inconvenience. During a heat wave, it can quickly become a serious health risk for both people and pets, especially when indoor temperatures rise above safe levels and residents have nowhere else to go.
The situation also highlights how little control many renters have over the conditions in their homes. While homeowners may be able to replace equipment, make efficiency upgrades, or seek county repair assistance, tenants often have to wait for property management or ownership to respond.
That lack of control can extend well beyond cooling systems. Landlords across the country have also been criticized for blocking renters from making simple, money-saving lifestyle changes, including gardening and hanging clotheslines to dry laundry. Restrictions like those can make it harder for residents to reduce costs, cut energy use, and adapt when housing conditions become more stressful.
What's being done?
Jamie MacFarlane of Maricopa County said the county still offers emergency A/C repair and replacement assistance through its Home Improvement Programs, but lower funding levels mean it will help fewer households this year.
"A lot of people can't afford to replace their air conditioner today, and with our extreme heat, it makes homes unlivable and unsafe," MacFarlane said.
AZFamily reported that renters, such as those at Spectra, are largely shut out of that assistance because the program is intended for qualifying homeowners with incomes at or below 80% of the local median.
MacFarlane added, "Unfortunately, because there's less funding, we will be able to assist fewer people, unfortunately."
Asset Living, the company that manages Spectra Apartments, said crews responded after the cooling system had an issue and that performance may continue to vary while repairs and adjustments are in progress.
AZFamily also reported that Asset Living said ownership filed an insurance claim tied to the property's mechanical equipment and that it told ownership it plans to end the management relationship after a seven-day cure period.
For renters dealing with restrictive property rules more broadly, resources such as TCD's HOA guide may help residents work with landlords or housing associations to push for more practical, cost-saving changes.
For residents still waiting for reliable cooling, the concern remains immediate.
"We're scared. It's too hot in here," Bispo said.
Bonaparte put it even more plainly: "This does not feel like home. I hate coming here."
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
