Know Your Rights: AC Requirements & Legal Housing Support

• Indoor Cooling and Heating Rights: Tempe City code states that Tempe renters are entitled by city ordinance to working air conditioning. If your cooling system is broken and the temperature in your home or apartment is 88F or above for evaporative cooling or 82F or above for air conditioning, contact your management company or landlord. If they are uncooperative, you can file a complaint with the city’s Code Enforcement division through Tempe 311 at 480-350-4311, which is open every weekday.
• Community Legal Services: Free housing-related legal help, including eviction prevention, fair housing protection, and support against foreclosure or unsafe living conditions.

Utility Assistance

• Emergency Utility Assistance: Tempe Community Action Agency (TCAA) makes utility payments for households experiencing a financial crisis.
• SRP Economy Price Plan: SRP customers with limited incomes can receive a monthly discount on their electric bill.
• APS Energy Support Program: Gives qualified APS customers a 25% discount (up to $95 off per month) or a 60% discount (up to $165 off per month).
• 2-1-1 Arizona Information and Referral Services helps individuals and families find resources and connect to services. Check them out online or dial 211 to speak to an operator.
• Southwest Gas Payment Options: Special programs and assistance for residential customers 

Home Repair Programs

• City of Tempe Emergency Home Repair Program: Offers home emergency repairs to help with health and safety risks.
• Maricopa County Home Repair Program:  Helps eligible Maricopa County homeowners repair health and safety conditions in their residence, including non-functioning air conditioning and heating systems.
• Safety Modifications: The free Safe at Home Program, offered by Rebuilding Together Valley of the Sun provides home assessments and home safety modifications like grab bars, toilet risers and rails, and threshold ramps.

Time Of Use Rate Programs: a program that is designed to reward electric utility customers who are willing to reduce their energy consumption during the peak hours of demand. It is a useful option for those who are looking to save annually on electricity costs.

• SRP Time-of-Use Price Plan (TOU)
• APS Time-of-Use Plan

Energy Audits: Assesses how much energy your home consumes and identifies energy efficiency improvements for energy and cost savings.

• SRP Home Energy Audit
• APS Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Checkup

 Weatherization/Home Maintenance 

• Weatherization Assistance Program: Free program that reduces energy costs for low-income households by increasing the energy efficiency of their homes, with a focus on health and safety. Services include repair or replacement of air conditioners, water heaters, and other systems/appliances, installation of insulation, energy-efficient LED light bulbs, CO/smoke detectors and more.

• Efficiency Arizona: Statewide initiative to help Arizona households increase their energy efficiency. The two programs under this initiative are:

  • HEAR Program: Provides rebates for eligible electric appliances and upgrades in low-income and historically underserved households
  • HOMES Program: State-wide rebate program for comprehensive home energy-saving retrofits (tentatively scheduled to be available in late 2025).

Energy Efficiency Upgrades:

• Rebates:  Provides refunds to return a portion of a customer’s purchase of energy-efficient home upgrades.
  • SRP Residential Rebates Program
  • APS Rebates
  • Southwest Gas Rebates
  • HEAR Program (state-wide program)
• Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency: Available to homeowners that make homes and buildings more energy-efficient that will help reduce energy costs and demand.

Estimate Your Carbon Footprint

• Carbon Footprint Calculator | US EPA
• Residential Energy Calculator | Energy Solutions Center

Rooftop Solar Energy

• Permitting, Costs and Consumer Rights Resources
  • City of Tempe Permit Center
  • City of Tempe Fees
• Technical Resources
  • SRP Preferred Solar Installers
  • APS Qualified Technology Installers
  • Consumer Solar Checklist | IREC
  • Solar Owner’s Manual (View in Spanish) | Solar United Neighbors
  • Homeowners Associations and Solar Access | Solar United Neighbors
  • Clean Energy Consumer Bill of Rights | IREC
• Financial Resources
  • A Homeowner’s Guide to Solar Financing | Clean Energy States Alliance
  • Solar Financing Basics | Solar United Neighbors
  • State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency | North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center
• Unsure of how to navigate the solar industry?
  • Connect with Solar United Neighbors (SUN) to answer your solar questions through their free Solar Help Desk.
  • Check out their Buying Solar 101 Webinar: a homeowner’s guide to shopping solar.

Other Renewable Energy Resources

• SRP Solar Choice: Program that allows customers to lower their carbon footprint without adding solar equipment to their homes.
• Solar TRACE Map: Explore where solar panels have been installed on homes and businesses across the country. It's a great way to see how solar energy is growing across the country. 

Energy Audits: Assesses how much energy your home consumes and identifies energy efficiency improvements for energy and cost savings.

• SRP Business Energy Audit
• APS Business Energy Audit

Energy Efficiency Upgrades

• Electric utility rebates: Provides refunds to return a portion of a customer’s purchase of energy-efficient home upgrades.
  • SRP Small Business Rebates
  • APS Solutions for Business & Multifamily Energy Efficiency Program
  • Southwest Gas Commercial Rebates
• Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency: Available to building owners who install new equipment aimed at improving the energy efficiency of their properties.

Estimate Your Carbon Footprint

• Commercial Carbon Calculator | Energy Solutions Center

Rooftop Solar Energy

• Permitting, Costs and Consumer Rights Resources
  • City of Tempe Permit Center
  • City of Tempe Fees
• Technical Resources
  • SRP Rooftop Solar Resources
  • APS Qualified Technology Installers
• Financial Resources
  • SolarSmart Educational Tool | APS
  • State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency | North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center
• Other Renewable Energy Resources
  • SRP Renewable Energy Programs: Allows customers to lower their carbon footprint without adding solar equipment to their homes.

International Green Construction Code: Voluntary construction code for private development that prioritizes high-quality construction, greenhouse gas and urban heat island reduction, and resilience to extreme heat.  

Take a deeper dive into the Code here.