TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Amid one of the most sweltering weeks of the summer, residents of Villas Las Naranjas — an apartment community at 1345 S. Kolb Road on Tucson’s southeast side — have endured over a week without air conditioning as record-breaking heat bears down.
Residents say the outage began July 31, with indoor temperatures climbing in the midst of Tucson’s oppressive, triple-digit summer heat. One tenant recounted returning home on Aug. 2 to a heartbreaking scene.
“Me coming back to my apartment and finding my dog dead is one of the worst moments in my life,” said Jaryd Thrasher, describing how his dog Mac had died, and the apartment was extremely hot. “You know, this is excruciating! If it’s bad for me, it’s definitely going to be bad for an animal who has fur on them.”
Jade Zasuesta recalled the day the air conditioning failed. “I came home, after my shift, seven in the morning. Come home to try to sleep, and as soon as I walk in—the room, everywhere, the kitchen, was humid.”
Longtime resident Bobby “Miss C” Stress-Claytor, who has struggled to sleep during the miserable hot time, said she "don’t sleep very good because even though I have a fan that is blowing onto my bed … and one of those little chill makers, it doesn’t really help.”
Stress-Claytor said she initially gave the management a few days to fix the issue. “I was willing to allow them at least four days … because, see, I knew, they weren’t going to find the parts!”
But her patience has worn thin. After calling the office, she confronted staff. “I said ‘don’t lie to me, you know how I feel about that!’ ” She said the staffer replied, “Miss C, if there’s someone you can call, that would help.”
Several residents have contacted KGUN9. Ultimately, Thrasher said that while the property management company can never replace his dog, they can restore the air conditioning to the complex to prevent any further tragedies.
“Actions speak louder than words, he said."It’s terrible, man.”
A spokesperson for the City of Tucson's Planning and Development Services Department reached out to KGUN9 with the following statement:
A Code Enforcement Inspector responded Tuesday, August 5, 2025, to a property complaint at 1345 S Kolb and issued a notice of violation. The property owner informed us they had arranged AC repairs on Wednesday, but by Thursday, the issue was still present. The Inspector verified the violation continued on Friday, August 8, 2025, and issued a second notice of violation. This afternoon, the Code Enforcement Inspector issued a general citation for the non-operational AC system. The Inspector spoke with the AC technician on-site, who indicated the units will need time to cool down following the repairs. The Inspector will conduct follow-up inspections over the weekend.
KGUN9 reached out to Greenwater Investments, the property manager for Villas Las Naranjas, but as of publication, has not recieved a response.
——
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.
----
STAY IN TOUCH WITH US ANYTIME, ANYWHERE
