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

• LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance program): A federally funded program that helps low income households pay their heating/cooling bills.
• Power AZ: State-funded program providing one-time utility bill assistance to households that are not eligible for LIHEAP.
• 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.

• APS Time-of-Use Plan
• SRP Time-of-Use Price Plan (Discontinued)
• Southwest Gas Time-of-Use Plan (Not Offered)

Home Energy-Savings Checklist: Use this checklist to see which no-cost/low-cost energy-saving tips can help you increase your savings.

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

• SRP Home Energy Audit

 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
  • 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.
• Arizona Clean Energy Hub: Connects you with the latest energy incentives.
• Energy Savings Hub: A federal online portal that helps consumers access clean energy tax credits and home energy rebates.
• Sustainable Home Improvement Loans of Arizona (SHILA): Provide unsecured, affordable loans for energy-efficient home upgrades and disability-related enhancements.
• Groundswell Capital EarthWise Loan Program: Provides no-collateral personal loans for home improvement projects for Arizona homeowners. No minimum credit score, no income limits (minimum or maximum), and 

Estimate Your Carbon Footprint

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

Rooftop Solar Energy

• Permitting and Costs
  • SolarAPP+ Automated Permitting
  • 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
  •  Arizona Clean Energy Hub: Connects you with the latest energy incentives.
  • Energy Savings Hub: A federal online portal that helps consumers access clean energy tax credits and home energy rebates.
• 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.

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.
• Arizona Clean Energy Hub: Connects you with the latest energy incentives.
• Energy Savings Hub: A federal online portal that helps consumers access clean energy tax credits and home energy rebates.
• Groundswell Capital AVANZA Small Business Loan Fund: Offer flexible, easy-to-access loans to help small businesses with everyday needs - like working capital, buying equipment, or growing your business.
• Groundswell Capital Good Energy Loan Fund: Eligible projects include appliance electrification, energy efficiency improvements and water conservation.

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
  • Arizona Clean Energy Hub: Connects you with the latest energy incentives.
  • Energy Savings Hub: A federal online portal that helps consumers access clean energy tax credits and home energy rebates.
  • Good Energy Loan Fund: Eligible projects include solar panels, battery storage, wind turbines, microgrids and more.
• 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. 

Chispa AZ: Works with communities of color to fight climate battles and address environmental issues we can't do as individuals. 

Vote Solar: Works to make solar energy more accessible and affordable by pushing for better policies and supporting solar-friendly projects. 

Unlimited Potential: Increases awareness of environmental issues, promotes health and educational equity and cultivates a critical consciousness among community members. 

Solar United Neighbors:  Works in Arizona and other states to help people learn about solar energy, go solar on their home or business, and advocate for policies that expand solar access. 

Poder in Action: Empowers people of color and working-class communities to challenge oppression and shape a better future through advocacy and community building. 

Mi Familia Vota: To advance political priorities of the Latino community by mobilizing year-round voter engagement. 

Puente Movement: Offers legal assistance, provides a political home for marginalized communities and works to expose human rights violations. 

Fuerte: Move people to collective action for voting rights, housing injustice, environmental justice, and other issues through art and culture. 

Arizona PIRG Education Fund: Conducts research, policy analysis and public education to advance solutions to problems that affect consumers' health, safety and well-being. 

Poder Latinx: Empowers Latinx communities to build sustained political power and actively participate in democracy.

Arizona Attorney Consumer Complaints: The Arizona Attorney General’s Office investigates consumer complaints involving deceptive or unfair practices in the sale or advertisement of goods or services.

Helpful information on power outage preparedness.

Arizona Emergency Information Network: Explore the State's resources and recommendations on how to prepare for a power outage before, during, and after.

By utility provider:

• Arizona Public Service (APS)
• Salt River Project (SRP)

 For Mobile and Manufactured Parks

• Park Owners and Managers [English] and [Español]
• Park Residents [English] and [Español]

American Red Cross: Safety tips on how to prepare for emergencies like a power outage

 Natural Gas Safety Information: During a power outage, your natural gas supply generally remains active. Follow these safety tips to use natural gas safely during an outage.