PHOENIX — Without air conditioning extreme heat is deadly.
In 2020, 48 people died inside their homes from heat-related causes according to data from Maricopa County Public Health. Many of them had air-conditioners that were not functioning.
Resources to repair or replace broken air-conditioners for people with low to moderate incomes in Arizona are limited but do exist.
Every city and county has a federally funded Weatherization Assistance Program that is designed to help with the costs of repairing or replacing air-conditioners for homeowners that have incomes up to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level which is about $43,000 for a family of 3.
The non-profit Wildfire has a listing of each program in Arizona.
All usually require an application as well as a full assessment of weatherization issues, but Cynthia Zwick with Wildfire told ABC15 during emergency situations they work to fix the unit right away "rather than waiting for the full weatherization program to be able to address the needs of the home."
Maricopa County's program has a year-long waiting list has 245 people in the queue. But a spokesperson tells ABC15 they are launching a new emergency repair program in July with funds from the American Rescue Plan. Details for eligibility have not yet been finalized.
Some cities have programs that help homeowners with higher incomes.
Habitat for Humanity handles programs for Phoenix, Glendale, and Peoria that allow households to earn up to 80% of the Area Median Income which comes to about $53,000 for a family of 3.
You can apply for the Peoria and Glendale Programs here.
A separate application for Phoenix can be found here.
211arizona.org has information for programs around the state and is arranging free rides through Lyft to and from cooling centers for people who need heat relief.
