Tucson apartment complexes owners sued by state

More than 1,000 Tucson apartment units are at the center of a lawsuit filed by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, who alleges that residents at Sedona Springs, Sienna Ridge and Summit Ridge have been left facing unsafe living conditions and inadequate air conditioning during the city’s extreme summer heat. The state is asking a court to require repairs, protect tenants from further violations and prevent the properties from renting units that do not meet legal standards.

The complexes are Sedona Springs, at 373 N. Wilmot Road, Sienna Ridge, at 5353 E. 22nd St., and Summit Ridge, at 1252 S. Craycroft Road. The lawsuit names the properties’ owners, members and managers, including Sedona Springs AZ, Sienna Ridge AZ, Summit Ridge AZ, DMR Sedona Springs AZ, DMR Tucson 1166, Tucson 1166 IG, Dasmen Residential and Luxford Living. The defendants are based in Delaware and had not immediately responded to requests for comment sent by email or social media.

At the center of the case is the state’s allegation that tenants have been unable to keep their apartments at or below Pima County’s required indoor temperature standard of 80 degrees. The complaint says temperatures in some units rose above 90 degrees this summer, with one apartment reportedly reaching 98.9 degrees. The Attorney General’s Office alleges that residents at all three complexes have struggled with inadequate cooling, leaving them exposed to potentially dangerous heat inside their homes.

The state claims the situation is particularly severe at Sedona Springs, where about half of the complex has allegedly been without central air conditioning since March. Residents have reportedly been given temporary window units, but the lawsuit says those units often cool only a single room rather than the entire apartment. The complaint describes chronic and recurring air conditioning failures at the three properties and contends that the owners have not provided the level of cooling required for rental housing in Pima County.

Mayes’ lawsuit also describes broader maintenance problems that allegedly have persisted since at least 2023. The claims include unreliable hot water, neglected plumbing, repeated leaks, mold, pest infestations, broken windows, water and gas problems, and structural defects. The state says the properties have deteriorated progressively since the current investment group acquired them, arguing that the alleged neglect reflects a continuing failure to maintain the apartments rather than isolated breakdowns.

The properties were purchased together in 2017 for $35.8 million by a group of investors, according to records cited in the case. The lawsuit identifies Dasmen Residential and Luxford Living among the parties responsible for ownership or management. In a statement included with the filing, Mayes said the continuing failure to provide adequate air conditioning places residents at serious risk, especially during periods of severe Arizona heat. The complaint characterizes the alleged conduct as a pattern of neglect and deception and says the consequences of abandoning the properties have been extensive.

Before filing the lawsuit, Mayes sent cease and desist letters to the apartment complexes demanding that the owners address the conditions. The state is now seeking a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction, along with longer term court orders requiring the properties to comply with state law. One requested remedy would bar the defendants from renting apartments in Arizona until the units satisfy legal requirements.

The Attorney General’s Office is also seeking restitution for affected tenants and civil penalties. If the court grants the state’s requests, the owners and operators could be required to make repairs and provide legally adequate living conditions before leasing units to new residents. The lawsuit was filed in Maricopa County, although the properties and the alleged conditions are all in Tucson. The allegations remain claims in a court case, and no response from the defendants was included in the available information.

For Tucson renters, the case highlights the stakes of maintaining cooling systems and other basic services in apartment housing during the region’s hottest months. Residents at the three complexes may be affected not only by the alleged air conditioning failures, but also by the reported plumbing, mold, pest, structural, gas and water issues. The state’s action now puts those conditions before a court and could determine whether the owners must provide repairs, compensate tenants, and stop leasing units until the apartments meet required standards.