As Arizona grapples with a record heat wave, seniors in the Valley are hit particularly hard with failing air conditioners in their homes and facilities, putting them at severe health risks. In El Mirage, a couple, Gary and Mary Cioccio, have been suffering in their rental home with indoor temperatures peaking at 96 degrees after their air conditioning unit broke down on June 30th. Gary Cioccio, 65, described the situation as "traumatizing" to ABC15. The couple purchased a temporary AC unit, which has unfortunately not fully alleviated their distress.
The Cioccios' struggle is echoed at Urban League Manor (ULM), a Phoenix senior citizen living facility, which has been without functioning air conditioning for days. In response, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes sent a cease-and-desist letter to Celtic Property Management, the operators of ULM, demanding immediate repairs. "It's absolutely unacceptable for Arizonans not to have air conditioning in the middle of summer," Mayes forcefully stated, according to a report by The Center Square.
This extreme heat is not merely discomforting; it poses genuine and potentially fatal consequences. The Arizona Attorney General's office has highlighted the gravity of the situation, with Mayes emphasizing the increasing intensity of summers and the obligations of landlords to provide livable conditions. The letter to Celtic Property Management details that some apartments in ULM reached nearly 100 degrees, forcing the Phoenix Fire Department to visit the facility multiple occasions and the city to conduct an inspection.
In the meantime, the seniors have received stopgap measures, like being allowed to sleep on air mattresses in the community recreation center of ULM, but these are temporary solutions to what Mayes deems violations of city codes and state laws such as the Arizona Landlord Tenant Act and the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act. The Attorney General has given Celtic Property Management a strict deadline of 5 p.m. Friday to rectify the air conditioning issues at ULM, as reported by The Center Square. Failure to comply might result in further legal action, including potential remedies like providing alternative housing.
