TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Residents at the Oasis Apartments in midtown Tucson say they have been forced to live with broken air conditioning, rodent infestations, and unsafe structural issues — allegations now under investigation by the Arizona Attorney General’s Office and Tucson Code Enforcement.
Amanda McPhillen, who has lived at the complex for more than three years, said she plans to leave by the end of September. “I’m moving at the end of the month,” McPhillen said. “I’m going to a two-bedroom apartment, because this is a one-bedroom right now.”
Her decision comes after years of dealing with what she described as unlivable conditions. “We’re overrun by roaches, we’re over ran by mice,” she said. “We have holes all in our walls.”
McPhillen said the rodent problem was overwhelming. “And we were catching 20 or 30 at a time on each trap,” she said. She added that many residents struggle with broken doors and locks. “There’s a lot of people around here that don’t have door knobs, door jams, like their doors have been busted,” McPhillen said.
Those complaints align with findings outlined in a seven-page letter sent by Attorney General Kris Mayes to Oasis ownership, which cited evidence of black mold, exposed wiring, and insect and rodent infestations.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, as of Sept. 10, property managers had allegedly addressed some of the air conditioning concerns, but documentation proving repairs has not yet been provided. “The Attorney General’s Office will continue to investigate the matter and is prepared to take further legal action if necessary to protect the rights and well-being of Arizona residents,” the office said in a statement.
Tucson Code Enforcement said inspectors visited Oasis on Aug. 9 and 10, checking units where residents granted entry. They found some apartments with swamp coolers, portable units, or no cooling at all, with interior temperatures ranging from 83 to 88 degrees. The city cited 15 units for violations and requested that swamp coolers be replaced with portable AC systems. A follow-up inspection is scheduled.
Oasis ownership disputes the claims, saying allegations of substandard living conditions are “simply not true.” In a Sept. 11 statement, the complex said contractors began repairs immediately after receiving inspection results on Aug. 29, and that pest control services are provided monthly.
The statement also noted that some tenants reported no issues, while others may not have notified management of maintenance problems.
For McPhillen, any repairs are too little, too late. After years at Oasis, she said she’s ready to move on.
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Eddie Celaya is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born in Tucson and raised in the Phoenix area, Eddie is a life-long Arizonan and graduate of the University of Arizona who loves the desert and mountains and hates the cold. Previously, Eddie worked in print media at the Arizona Daily Star. Share your story ideas with Eddie at edward.celaya@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook or Instagram.
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