Arizona AG sues Tucson landlords over inadequate AC, unsafe living conditions

For Tucson residents living at Sedona Springs, Summit Ridge and Sienna Ridge, a lawsuit filed by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes could determine whether their landlords must make long delayed repairs before continuing to rent apartments. The three affiliated complexes, operated by Luxford Living and connected to Dasmen Residential, are accused of failing to provide adequate air conditioning and maintaining unsafe living conditions. The case is especially significant as Tucson enters another period of extreme summer heat, when reliable cooling can be a basic health and safety necessity rather than a convenience.

Mayes’ complaint alleges that residents at all three properties have repeatedly been unable to keep their apartments at or below the Pima County standard of 80 degrees Fahrenheit. According to the lawsuit, indoor temperatures have often risen above 90 degrees. One Sienna Ridge tenant, identified as Zach, said his air conditioner has malfunctioned since he moved into the apartment in February. On the hottest days, he said, the temperature inside has approached 100 degrees, leaving him, his wife and their two young children searching for ways to cool down.

Zach described using frozen, wet rags for relief and said the family has had to cope with heavy sweating, irritability and discomfort. The lawsuit alleges that tenants at the three complexes have purchased portable air conditioners and fans at their own expense because the installed systems did not adequately cool their homes. Those costs can be particularly difficult for renters already paying for housing, utilities and other necessities. The complaint frames the cooling failures as part of a broader pattern of neglect, not as isolated maintenance problems.

Residents say the difficulties extend well beyond air conditioning. Zach reported structural damage, boarded windows and walls, plumbing and water problems, and repeated break-ins involving vacant units at Sienna Ridge. He said doors have been kicked in and that he installed long screws in one door to keep people from entering. Over the past year, television viewers also reported problems at the properties, including apartments without running water and roach infestations.

A Sienna Ridge resident who asked to be identified as Amy told KGUN 9 that she has lived at the complex near 22nd Street and Craycroft Road for six years. She said the property was in good condition when she moved in, but deteriorated substantially after several years, with conditions becoming worse than they were the previous year. She described reports of missing hot water, absent air conditioning, water damaged ceilings and a toilet that was unusable for 10 days. In one instance, she said, maintenance left feces in the apartment for hours after addressing the toilet problem.

Amy also described security concerns at the complex. She said someone attempted to enter her apartment, and that management declined to repair the damaged window after she submitted a work order. She reported seeing suspected drug deals and people passed out on the property, and said she has called police 12 times this year. Security guards work during the day and night, she said, but residents continue to encounter many of the same people. She also said the swimming pool has remained closed this year, while residents have received varying explanations involving repairs and a possible city inspection.

Other shared facilities have reportedly been affected as well. Amy said the laundry room is sometimes unavailable because people cut copper wiring from the machines. She credited some maintenance workers with trying to help, including paying out of pocket for certain repairs, but said they were not reimbursed without prior approval from management. She also said many maintenance employees have since left. In her view, the primary problem is management rather than the workers handling repairs, and she remains doubtful that any improvements ordered by a court would last.

The attorney general’s complaint says the alleged failures date back at least to 2023 and include broken windows, water and gas problems, structural damage and pest infestations. Mayes is asking the court for a permanent injunction requiring the owners and operators to complete repairs needed to comply with Arizona law. The requested order would also prevent the complexes from renting to new tenants until their units meet legal requirements. In addition, the complaint seeks restitution for residents and civil penalties based on the harm the state says tenants have experienced.

The landlords have not publicly answered the allegations in the available reports. 13 News said it contacted the owners and operators multiple times through several methods without receiving a response, while KGUN 9 reported that Dasmen Residential did not respond to its request for comment. The lawsuit now places the reported conditions before the court, while residents continue to live with the consequences. For tenants such as Zach and Amy, the case represents a possible path toward functioning air conditioning, safer buildings and more reliable maintenance, but also raises concern about whether any repairs will be sustained after public attention fades. Tucson residents who believe they have experienced consumer fraud can submit a complaint through the Arizona Attorney General’s website.