PHOENIX (AZFamily) — With more First Alert heat on tap for the Valley this weekend, the last thing you want to happen is to have your A/C unit go out. An emergency repair or replacement can cost thousands of dollars, but the Maricopa County Emergency Home Repair Program is here to help.
The program started in 2021, and its goal is to make emergency repairs that impact the quality of health and safety in residents’ homes.
Throughout the past few years, the program has helped:
- Over 800 households
- 245 of them needed emergency HVAC repairs or replacements
One of those households was Myriam Eythrib’s home in Chandler. Her family’s A/C unit was 20 to 25 years old and had started acting up at the end of last summer.
Eythrib was the sole caregiver for her husband, who was disabled for 15 years and was searching for resources to help them with repair costs. However, the search was put on hold when her husband passed away in October 2023.
After record-breaking temperatures last month, Eythrib’s A/C unit finally broke. She said she didn’t have the money for repairs, so the Maricopa County Emergency Home Repair Program stepped in to help her.
“I just retired, so it’s really a piece of mind to know for a few years, I’m not going to have any problems. When I see how much it costs to have an A/C unit with the cost of living having increased and salaries not going up, I don’t think a lot of people can afford it,” she explained.
The program saved Eythrib approximately $5,000 in repair costs and encourages residents to apply and see if they’re eligible.
HOW IT WORKS:
You must earn at or below 80% area median income to be eligible. Here are the steps you should follow:
- Fill out the program’s application
- Submit your application
- The county will review your needs and connect you to a contracted provider
Knowing more extreme heat days are ahead for the Valley, Brittany Conklin, a public information officer with Maricopa County, assures residents its providers can respond as soon as they submit their applications.
“Right now we do not have a waitlist in Maricopa County to service the HVAC. I think there’s a lot of people out there who don’t understand that this program exists because when our A/C goes out, there’s panic,” Conklin explained.
Last summer, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors approved a $10 million increase in the program to provide more lifesaving services for residents. This funding is expected to last until 2026.
For more information on applying, CLICK HERE. If you require assistance with the completion of the form, or would like to request the form in paper or Spanish, please call (602) 506-5911.
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