GLENDALE, AZ (AZFamily)<\/b> \u2014 Fans, frozen rags and spray bottles of cold water \u2014 that\u2019s what Sandy Bispo relies on to get through the day inside her Glendale apartment because the air conditioning keeps going out.<\/p>\n
Bispo has lived at the Spectra Apartments for nine years, but she said the past year has been unlike any other. The A\/C cuts out day and night, and with another dangerous heatwave<\/a> bearing down on the Valley, she said relief is nowhere in sight.<\/p>\n \u201cIt gets so bad sometimes we can\u2019t breathe. The heat is so, so extreme,\u201d Bispo said.<\/p>\n When the system fails, she said temperatures inside can climb past 100 degrees. The heat has affected more than just her comfort. It has put her pet in danger, too.<\/p>\n \u201cShe got so overheated she became limp. She couldn\u2019t even walk. I packed her with ice and sprayed her down,\u201d Bispo said.<\/p>\n \u2018This does not feel like home\u2019<\/p>\n For fellow resident Lauren Bonaparte, the situation has become too much to bear. She said she has been pushed to the point of packing up and leaving a place she once called home.<\/p>\n \u201cI might as well be outside. Literally, it\u2019s just basically four walls and a roof over my head. This does not feel like home. I hate coming here,\u201d Bonaparte said.<\/p>\n Tenants said generators have not kept the A\/C running consistently, and when the system goes down, there is no on-site cooling area for residents to escape the heat.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re scared. It\u2019s too hot in here.\u201d Bispo said. <\/p>\n County program offers limited help<\/p>\n Maricopa County offers emergency A\/C repairs and replacements, but reduced funding has made it harder to reach people who need help this year.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of people can\u2019t afford to replace their air conditioner today, and with our extreme heat, it makes homes unlivable and unsafe,\u201d said Jamie MacFarlane with Maricopa County.<\/p>\n The program is limited to households at or below 80% of the area median income and is designed for qualifying homeowners, not renters.<\/p>\n That distinction left the residents at Spectra Apartments without access to the assistance.<\/p>\n \u201cUnfortunately, because there\u2019s less funding, we will be able to assist fewer people, unfortunately,\u201d MacFarlane said.<\/p>\n Information on Maricopa County\u2019s Home Improvement Programs, including emergency A\/C assistance, is available at maricopa.gov<\/a>.<\/p>\n Asset Living, the management company for Spectra Apartments, says it is aware of cooling concerns at Spectra West and that crews responded after the system had an issue.<\/p>\n Asset Living is aware of concerns regarding the cooling system at Spectra West and understands the impact this has had on residents.<\/p>\n When the system experienced an issue today, our on-site team immediately responded and coordinated with service providers to restore system functionality. Cooling performance may fluctuate as repairs and system adjustments continue, and our team remains onsite to respond to resident concerns and provide updates.<\/p>\n Ownership has informed Asset Living that it has submitted an insurance claim related to the property\u2019s mechanical systems. Separately, Asset has provided the owner with a seven-day notice to resolve issues under the management agreement. Following the cure period, Asset Living has notified ownership of its intent to terminate the management relationship and at that time will no longer serve as the management company for the property.<\/p>\n Asset Living remains committed to the high standards of service, maintenance, and resident care that we strive to provide across every community we manage. Those standards guide our decisions and our actions in every management relationship.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n