By admin 
MESA, AZ — Amid a punishing June heatwave in the Valley, residential air conditioning units are straining to keep pace — and many are failing. Repair bills often run into the thousands, offering little relief to residents whose homes have turned into ovens.
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Mesa’s Susan Terrel knows that misery firsthand.
“I had fans blowing on me all the time, but it’s the worst misery you can imagine. I wouldn’t wish it on the devil himself,” Terrel said, describing her three years spent without air conditioning in her modular home.
When Terrel’s repair bill soared to $5,000, a full replacement was out of reach. She turned to All Thrive 365, a Valley non-profit partnering with energy companies including SRP, to replace home air units for low-income residents at no cost.
“The last thing you need on your plate right now is an $11,000 air conditioning bill,” said Elena Burr, a spokesperson for All Thrive 365. “We go in and alleviate that financial burden by replacing the unit at no cost to the homeowner.”
Burr says the need isn’t just financial — it’s about safety. According to All Thrive 365, one out of every four heat-related deaths occurs in homes without cooling units.
“You made it so I could live,” Terrel told Burr, expressing gratitude for the assistance.
Mesa residents have another lifeline: the city’s Human Services Division offers a portable A-C loaner program.
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“This is definitely a public safety effort,” said Jussane Goodman, who works with the program. It activates each year after temperatures stay above 90 degrees for two consecutive weeks and is available to any Mesa resident.
“If there’s someone living in a home where it’s clearly unsafe, and the possibility of them developing a heat-related illness or worse — heat-related death — we definitely want to prevent those from happening,” Goodman said.
Longtime Valley residents warn that summer’s worst is still ahead, with July and August promising even higher temperatures.
Maricopa County and several Valley cities offer home repair grants that cover the cost of repairing or replacing AC units for low-income homeowners. Eligible residents can apply for assistance online through the links below.
Maricopa County
Goodyear
Phoenix
Scottsdale
Mesa
Chandler
Glendale
Gilbert
Peoria
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