As we enter the last few weeks of the summer and the sweltering heat in Arizona, cooling units that have survived another season may need repairs. Tenants in Arizona have the right to safe, livable conditions in their rental units and property owners are responsible for keeping up with maintenance.  

The Landlord and Tenant Program, offered through the Human Services Department, aims to educate community members about their rights and responsibilities according to state law. 

“We have three landlord-tenant counselors, and they provide 50-minute-long appointments over the phone or in person,” explained Stefanie Nader, a program manager of the Landlord and Tenant Program.  

In an interview with The Arizona Republic, she discussed the numerous calls and emails the staff receives daily. 

“When I look at the numbers in July, we received 794 calls,” said Nader, who made sure to note that these were not all specifically about air conditioning. “We turn things around with (a) 24-hour period and respond to emails within three days.” 

Nader said her staff helps renters and landlords to ensure that no one is left with unanswered questions. She noted that any information given to her team is not shared and they are not responsible for contacting any party involved in a dispute.  

Here’s what you need to know about the rights granted to you by the Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act.  

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Are Arizona landlords required to keep apartments cool? 

Landlords in Phoenix must provide adequate cooling in rental homes. The city requires that evaporative coolers should be able to cool to 86 degrees or below, while other systems, such as HVAC units, should be able to cool to 82 degrees or below. This information is outlined in the Phoenix City Code under Chapter 39-5, dealing with electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems and health and safety conditions.  

Under B.1.b, cooling requirements are described as: “Every rental housing unit where such systems are installed shall have cooling capable of safely cooling all habitable rooms, bathrooms and flushing toilet rooms to a temperature no greater than 86 degrees Fahrenheit, if cooled by evaporative cooling, or 82 degrees Fahrenheit, if cooled by air conditioning. Temperature measurements shall be taken at a distance three feet above the floor in the center of the room. Required cooling shall be provided by permanently installed cooling facilities.” 

Fixed in time: Phoenix apartment complex says AC is back on hours before attorney general’s deadline

Who can I call if I am having trouble getting my landlord to fix my AC unit? 

Nader invited individuals with questions about a specific problem they are dealing with or are seeking general information to reach out to her office. Community members in Phoenix can email them at landlord.tenant.hsd@phoenix.gov or call their office at 602-262-7210.  

Otherwise, the program is housed at the Travis L. Williams Family Service Center at 4732 S. Central Ave. The office is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The office also has Spanish speakers on staff.

How to keep it cool: 6 easy air conditioner tips to keep the cool air coming in the Arizona heat

After talking with the renter, the staff refers them to the Neighborhood Services Department, which handles the violation.  

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has received more than $440 million in federal funding to expand its Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV).

Carole Johnson, the administrator for HRSA, said Arizona is receiving $12 million for MIECHV in the state.

‘It’s a huge investment for us in Arizona,” said Johnson. “It’s really a vital program. Research shows it works, and we’re really excited to be bringing more dollars to the community, to your communities, to be able to deliver to more families.”

The nationwide program started 10 years ago. It targets at-risk communities, including rural and Indigenous towns, where there are high numbers of premature births, infant mortality, poverty, crime and other factors.

“It’s such a game-changer. It really is,” said Johnson.

The Arizona Department of Health Services will work with local organizations through the program to provide home visits from nurses, social workers and other trained professionals to expectant mothers and young families.

Johnson said families need to volunteer for the program, which offers help with breastfeeding, safe sleeping techniques for babies, the overall health of mom and baby, and early childhood development.

“We get your kids connected to child development screenings. We identify issues early. We work to make sure that your kids are reading or hearing lots of complex words early to work with language development. And those things have been real markers to show how home visiting makes a difference in school readiness and school success,” she said.

Two years ago, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation to double the funding for the program over five years.

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Mexican authorities were investigating the death of two Arizona women after their bodies were found on Friday along a highway in Sonora, Mexico, the northern state that borders Arizona.

Around 10:30 a.m., Mexican authorities received reports of two women dead inside an overturned vehicle on the Sonoyta-Caborca highway, the exterior of the vehicle marked with bullet holes, the Sonora Attorney General said in a news release on X, formerly Twitter.

The attorney general only released the last name of the two women, identifying them as 72-year-old and 82-year-old Arizona residents originally from Caborca, a city in northern Sonora.

Mexican investigators believed the two women had been attacked on the road. Authorities found a stolen Ford F-150 truck, along with firearms, ammunition and ballistic vests believed to be related to the shooting, according to the news release.

On Tuesday, a spokesperson with the U.S. Department of State confirmed the death of the two women, both U.S. citizens.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased,” said the spokesperson.

The State Department was “closely monitoring the situation,” but declined to provide further details.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation was assisting Mexican authorities with the case, a spokesperson with the Phoenix field office said.