A bill in the state Senate would require landlords in Arizona to provide air conditioning for renters.
Some Arizona cities, including Phoenix and Tucson, already require landlords to provide working air conditioning that cools a space to at least 82 degrees, or 86 degrees if an evaporative cooler is used.
Democratic Sen. Lauren Kuby’s bill, SB 1608 would make cooling to 82 degrees a statewide rule for rentals.
“This is basic human habitability and we need to ensure that for everyone in Arizona, not just the residents of Phoenix and Tucson,” Kuby said. “This bill will ensure a faster response, clearer standards, accountability, and most importantly, it will result in fewer preventable deaths.”
In Maricopa County, about a quarter of heat-related deaths in 2024 took place indoors, and in 70% of those cases, the air conditioner was not functioning, according to the Maricopa County Department of Public Health.
Kuby said air conditioning repairs during Arizona’s intense heat waves should be addressed as quickly as a landlord might address a gas leak or water line break. The bill would allow renters to terminate a rental agreement after two days if a landlord fails to provide functioning air conditioning.
“This is an urgent issue that needs a quick response,” Kuby said.
The bill also specifies that, during periods of cold weather, landlords must provide heating that warms the space to at least 68 degrees.
And the bill would pause evictions during weeks when the outdoor temperature is above 90 degrees on multiple days.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has voiced support for the bill. Mayes in recent years has sent warning letters to multiple landlords to demand they address air conditioning failures.
Kuby last year proposed a similar bill to limit evictions during heat waves. That bill failed to get a hearing.
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Mayes first filed a lawsuit against the park last year. She said management didn’t tell residents about a faulty electrical system, which led to frequent power outages during dangerous summer heat.
