‘We are people, we have rights’: Tucson residents describe years of neglect as AG sues apartment owners

For residents at Sienna Ridge near 22nd Street and Craycroft Road, Tucson’s summer heat has made apartment maintenance failures more than an inconvenience. Tenants describe units without working air conditioning, plumbing breakdowns, damaged windows, security concerns and other problems that they say have continued for years. Their complaints now form part of a lawsuit by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes against the owners and managers of Sienna Ridge and two other Tucson complexes, Sedona Springs and Summit Ridge.

The lawsuit alleges that the properties have repeatedly failed to keep apartments at or below the Pima County standard of 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Some units have reportedly reached temperatures above 90 degrees. Mayes said the lack of adequate cooling places residents at serious risk during extreme summer conditions. The complaint identifies Dasmen Residential and Luxford Living in connection with the properties and alleges that the problems extend beyond air conditioning, including broken windows, water and gas issues, structural concerns and pest infestations dating back at least to 2023.

At Sienna Ridge, one longtime resident who asked to be identified only as Amy said the complex was in good condition when she moved in six years ago. In her account, the property declined substantially after several years, with conditions now worse than they were last year. She said residents continue to deal with missing hot water, unreliable or absent air conditioning, water damaged ceilings and serious toilet problems. She also described what she called biohazard conditions after one resident’s toilet remained unusable for 10 days.

Amy said safety problems have added to the frustration. She reported that someone tried to enter her apartment, and that her husband chased the person away. Afterward, she submitted a work order for the damaged window but said management told her it would not be repaired. She also said residents have found people apparently conducting drug deals or passed out around the property. Security is present during the day and night, she said, but people who are removed often return. Amy said she has contacted law enforcement 12 times this year in response to problems at the complex.

Shared amenities and basic services have also been affected. Amy said residents have not been able to use the pool at all this year because it remains locked. Residents have reportedly received different explanations, including that repairs are needed or that the city must inspect the pool. The laundry room is also unreliable, according to Amy, who said people sometimes enter and cut electrical cords to steal copper. These issues have left residents uncertain about whether common areas and essential services will be available from one day to the next.

Another Sienna Ridge resident showed a unit with a kitchen sink that would not drain, a broken garbage disposal and a damaged pantry door. She said her toilet was unusable for 10 days and that management did not respond promptly after she reported the problem. When maintenance eventually arrived, she said feces remained in the apartment for hours after the visit. The accounts describe problems affecting sanitation, safety and everyday living, rather than isolated cosmetic repairs.

Amy separated the maintenance workers from the property’s management in her criticism. She said some maintenance employees tried to solve problems despite limited support, including paying out of their own pockets for materials. According to her account, workers could not always receive reimbursement because they had not obtained advance authorization from the office. She also said that most of the maintenance staff have quit since the problems began. The allegations in the lawsuit and the residents’ accounts have not been answered publicly by Dasmen Residential, which did not respond to a request for comment.

The attorney general’s case seeks a court order requiring repairs at all three complexes so the properties comply with Arizona law. Mayes is also asking for a permanent injunction that would prevent the owners and operators from renting units to Arizona consumers until legal requirements are met. The complaint seeks restitution for residents and civil penalties tied to the alleged harm. Amy remains doubtful that any improvements will last, saying she expects the properties could be repaired temporarily and then deteriorate again. For residents who have spent years reporting broken systems and unsafe conditions, the lawsuit creates the possibility of outside enforcement, but it does not immediately resolve the daily problems inside their homes.

Residents who believe they have experienced consumer fraud can submit a complaint through the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. The legal action will determine whether the owners and managers must complete the repairs and pay the requested penalties or restitution. In the meantime, tenants at Sienna Ridge continue to press for functioning cooling, plumbing, security and shared facilities. Amy’s central complaint is that residents should be treated as people with rights, not dismissed while basic living conditions remain unresolved.