Mesa apartment tenants left without air conditioning
Mesa apartment tenants left without air conditioning
Air conditioning outages at a Mesa apartment complex have left residents sweltering in temperatures over 96 degrees indoors. Tenants say the issue has lasted for more than a month.
MESA, Ariz. - Residents at a Mesa apartment complex say they have been left sweltering for weeks in indoor temperatures exceeding 100 degrees, begging management for relief from a failing air conditioning system.
What we know:
Residents say an ongoing crisis at The Flats, located near Southern Avenue and Dobson Road, has escalated from a seasonal inconvenience to a severe health hazard. They say the situation highlights potential violations of the Arizona Landlord Tenant Act, which legally obligates landlords to maintain safe and habitable living conditions, including adequate cooling during the state's extreme summer months.
Desperation has forced many tenants to prop their front doors open in the middle of the Valley summer just to catch a breeze.
What they're saying:
"It feels cooler outside than it does in here," resident Ronny Tekk said. "It’s not feasible for humans to live here."
The struggle is shared across the complex. Resident Zane Vasquez said his unit has been without proper cooling for about a month, pushing indoor temperatures to 92 degrees and sending a family member to the hospital.
"My girlfriend's been having to go to the ER because it’s been too hot and she’s pregnant," Vasquez said.
Other neighbors reported even higher spikes. Jasmine Swainston said her thermometer registered over 100 degrees indoors, while Steve Russell noted that his vents were actively blowing hot air.
To cope, residents are scrambling for any pocket of relief on the property. Vasquez said he has seen neighbors gathering at the complex pool and the laundromat at 2 a.m. just to escape the heat inside their homes.
Frustrations with managemenmt
Tenants say their repeated pleas for help have yielded inconsistent results. Russell noted that assistance has not been distributed equally across the complex. According to Russell, some residents have received portable A/C units, reimbursements, or rent credits, while others have received nothing.
"The only thing they can do is send emails," Tekk said. "They tell us they’re working diligently on a problem, but it doesn’t feel like it."
Management at The Flats sent an email to residents Friday afternoon stating that the air conditioning had finally been repaired. However, sweltering neighbors remain skeptical, noting that the system has been unreliable for months.
"From January up until this point, the A/C has been like on off, on off, on off," Tekk said.
Vasquez echoed the frustration, stating that tenants want straight answers rather than repeated automated assurances that the issue is resolved.
The other side:
A"The safety and wellbeing of our residents, their families, and their guests is always a top priority," spokesperson for property management company RPM Living told FOX 10. "When the AC system at The Flats experienced a failure, our team responded urgently to restore service as quickly and safely as possible. When replacement components were not immediately available through local suppliers, our team obtained the necessary parts from outside Arizona to expedite repairs."
The spokesperson continued: "Our team provided water and supplies and maintained a presence onsite during the repair process, and we offered assistance to residents seeking alternative accommodations. The system is operating again, our team continues to monitor it, and we thank our residents for their patience."
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from The Flats, the Arizona Landlord Tenant Act, and interviews with Ronny Tekk, Steve Russell, Zane Vasquez and Jasmine Swainston.