MESA, AZ — There’s currently no air conditioning at an apartment complex in Mesa. Nearly 70 units are affected during this triple-digit heat.
"Man, it's hot. This is ridiculous, man,” says Elijah Phillips, a resident at Tides on University in Mesa who has been coming home to a non-air-conditioned apartment for five days now.
“The first night we realized, I went to my daughter and she was sweating… just dripping sweat and I was like, ‘yeah, she can't stay here,’” says Phillips.
His main priority is making sure his daughter is fine. He asked his mom to watch her at her home while he stays back because of work.
"Working 10- to 12-hour shifts, then coming home to no AC is horrible,” says Phillips.
Those living at Tides on University received a notification from apartment management on Wednesday stating that they are working around the clock to repair the chiller on the property. Elijah says that message should’ve come sooner.
“I would say it's probably in 100s, maybe 90s but yeah, it's very hot,” says Phillips.
Skye Stevens says Friday will mark one week without working AC. In the meantime, residents were left with a small stand alone AC unit that Stevens says does little to nothing to cool her apartment.
"That AC cools off about 4 inches and that's it," she said Thursday afternoon.
ABC15 also reached out to management. The Robinson Group confirmed the issues and told us they are offering two options for the current inconvenience. Residents can either receive a rent credit or get a hotel room paid for.
Later on in the night, Phillips and his girlfriend Kaya White walked back up to us saying they have nowhere to go after the hotel option didn’t work.
Stevens said the hotel option led to massive confusion.
The hotel staff gave them this message: "Well, we received about five other people from your apartment complex about this and I just want to let you know that your leasing office hasn't paid for the rooms,” says White.
Another hotel was charging extra fees not covered by management, said Stevens.
"They were gouging us and I couldn't get in!" Stevens said.
Management also told us they provided residents with an after-hours emergency line. White says they called but the issue still has not been resolved.
"I'm feeling weak; I’m feeling very physically tired. Water is not doing enough. I feel very dehydrated...headaches. It’s ridiculous,” says White.
With no family in town, Stevens says she, her roommate and her dog were forced to return to her sweltering apartment Wednesday night.
"My dog is like a little rescue Chihuahua and he's like half dead on the floor," she said. "I could barely walk to the refrigerator and I'm exhausted, because it's so hot in there it's like 108."
Another resident at the complex shared a text from management sent at 1:24pm Thursday, reading:
"ONLY APPLIES TO TENANTS IN BLDGS 1-5 - Hello, we are still working on the chiller in your block. We are currently offering a hotel for the affected units. Please reach out to us at (Three numbers listed) Thank you for your cooperation. Ashley Robles Community Manager."
We will be following back up with The Robinson Group for more clarification. As for the A/C issues, we’re told the chiller is being worked on but there is no set date on when it will be back up and running at 100%.
