'Serious health risk': Phoenix tenants continue dealing with faulty AC units close to deadline

A Phoenix apartment complex has until Friday to comply with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office's demand to repair broken or ineffective air-conditioning units in hundreds of apartments.

The Valley’s extreme heat has been especially hellish for residents of Buenas on 32nd apartment complex located at 32nd Avenue and Indian School Road. Tenants' struggle to find relief from triple-digit temperatures caught the ire of Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes on Tuesday for the complex's failure to address the problem.

Mayes sent a demand letter to Buenas Communities LLC on Tuesday saying the company needed to start immediate action to address air conditioning issues at the Buenas on 32nd.

“The extreme heat poses a serious health risk, and it’s unacceptable for tenants to be without proper air conditioning,” Mayes wrote in a news release.

The Attorney General's Office expected Buenas Communities to fix any affected air conditioning unit by Friday at 5 p.m. and provide written confirmation of the repair by Monday at 5 p.m., the news release stated.

A reporter’s visit to the complex revealed that a majority of the apartment units appeared to be in a state of disrepair, with A/C units mounted to windows with cardboard or plywood replacing the glass for part of the frame.

The Buenas Communities corporate office did not immediately respond to multiple attempts to contact them, including by phone and email.

On Tuesday, AZ Family reported that Buenas Communities provided a statement saying the management company was working with a vendor to expedite the purchase of a new chiller system. However, there is a 20-week wait time.

"Tenants do have portable A/C’s in each of their living areas to facilitate a comfortable living environment in the meantime," Buenas Communities told AZ Family. "Tenants are also well aware that if any issues arise, they can reach us at any given time, and we will be sure to tend to their needs."

Doug Brynjulson, who has lived at the complex for about a month, told the Republic his window A/C unit only blew lukewarm air inside the apartment and that his ceiling fan had begun to fail.

Brynjulson said he’s complained to the apartment management repeatedly about the issues but hears general excuses that they’re understaffed and working on the issue.

“It’s pretty much like trying to talk to the wall and say, ‘Hey, change color.’” Brynjulson said. “It’s not going to do that until you paint over it and change the color yourself.”

Apartment complex has pattern of cooling-related violation cases

Citations are the second step in the city’s process for addressing violations, said Teleia Galaviz, a public information officer for Phoenix Neighborhood Services Department.

First, if a complaint is found to be a code violation by an inspector, the property will receive a notice of code violation.

A notice was issued to the property owner on July 9 when the city became aware of the problem, Galaviz said. The owner was given 24 hours to fix the matter because it was a health and safety violation and was issued citations when that deadline was not met, she said.

If the violation is not resolved after the citation, the city will move to court action, Galaviz said.

The attorney general’s demand letter and the city’s case are separate responses to the issue.

Since 2021, the complex has had eight cooling-related violation cases, not including the current case, Galaviz said. Three cases were opened in 2021, four in 2022, and one in 2023.

In May 2024, the complex also faced code enforcement cases related to littering, the pool, fencing, storage and vegetation, Galaviz noted.

What's next for tenants at Buenas on 32nd?

Buenas Communities LLC has until Friday, July 26, to comply with Mayes' demand to repair or replace cooling systems for its tenants.

On Wednesday, the Arizona Attorney General's Office told the Republic that it will continue to investigate the issue and is prepared to take further legal action if necessary to protect the rights and well-being of Arizona residents, Communications Director Richie Taylor said.

Taylor declined to comment further on what would happen if Buenas Communities fails to meet the deadlines set in the demand letter.

If any Arizona tenants are facing similar issues in their residences, Richie said they can file a consumer complaint with the Attorney General's Office here. Phoenix tenants can also access information and resources through the Phoenix city website.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix apartment complex still has faulty AC units day before deadline