After weeks without air conditioning during extreme heat, tenants at The Retreat at Candelaria say repairs are finally in motion, weeks into triple-digit temperatures and days after city inspectors ordered repairs.
Despite a city ordinance requiring landlords to provide cooling in all rental units, a resident at The Retreat at Candelaria says management has not followed through on promises to restore the system. Indoor temperatures are still topping 90 degrees, according to tenant John Reiser, who said his unit remains unsafe and unlivable.
“I’m not throwing a celebration party yet,” said Reiser. “But at least now they’re on the city’s radar.”
The cooling system at the Northeast Heights complex failed in mid-June, according to Reiser, with temperatures inside some units reaching 91 degrees. For weeks, management told tenants there was “nothing we can do,” he said, offering no timeline for repairs.
Reiser said he first reported the broken system in mid-June. Management emailed tenants saying the cooling compressor needed replacing and that they were seeking vendor quotes. Since then, he said, no updates were given until inspectors arrived nearly a month later.
“When we ask maintenance or staff in the leasing office, they just repeat that they’re still waiting for quotes. It doesn’t feel like they’re being honest with us — they don’t seem to have any intention of fixing it.”
According to Reiser, who estimates about 25% of the complex was without cooling, families with young children and elderly tenants are struggling the most.
“It looks like some of the people in my development might literally be moving to sleep outside,” said Reiser. “I had one neighbor describe it as — her word was — ‘miserable.’”
The City Steps In
That changed after city officials got involved.
On July 9, city inspectors visited the property after Reiser and other tenants filed complaints. They cited the building for violating Albuquerque’s updated housing code and ordered management to begin repairs.
Reiser said two inspectors, including a supervisor, came to the property. They visited his unit, interviewed him, took photos and agreed that conditions were “substandard” and not up to code.
That afternoon, the city served the management company with formal paperwork ordering repairs to bring units into compliance.
Inspectors ordered management to bring the property into compliance and issued a deadline.
Within hours, residents received an email from Landmark Realty — the California-based company that manages the complex — saying repairs on the cooling system had begun and were expected to be completed by Friday.
That deadline passed, but Reiser said communication has improved.
“We have had more communication and more transparency, it seems, from our landlord since the city inspector and his supervisor came to the premises,” he said Monday. “The most recent update we’ve gotten is that they are working to fix the cooling system, and they had a technician out and that they’re hopeful it will be fixed and the problems resolved by the end of the day today, on Monday.”
Reiser said management has pledged to continue working with the technician and keep residents updated.
Council Responds to Complaints
City Councilor Dan Champine, who represents the district, said his office learned about the complaint on July 4 and acted promptly after the holiday.
He said his staff contacted code enforcement, and inspectors went out and gave the property manager until August 7 for the repairs.
“In accordance with the ordinance, and being realistic, we gave the code enforcement, gave them until August 7, I think,” Champine said, “to bring that and make, maybe not complete the project, but get it started in some form or fashion, so that we see a resolution quickly to it.”
“Because going into August and September, we’re looking at 100-degree weather,” Champine said. “It was 82 in my house, I have a swamp cooler as well. I felt it too.”
Champine said the city has to take a realistic approach when it comes to enforcing the new cooling law.
“It can’t be solved in two days,” he said. “We’ve got to give them the time to get to it.”
He said with the heat and everything going on, workers are backed up. I’ve been waiting for 15 days just for a plumber to get to my sister-in-law’s house.”
He said what matters most is that the issue is being addressed.
“As long as it’s being addressed and communicated between the parties,” he said. “We’ll get to the resolution and get it taken care of.”
The ordeal highlights questions about whether city enforcement has real teeth — and whether landlords only act when the media or government gets involved.
While management didn’t respond to media inquiries, Reiser said he’s seen a shift since the city got involved — and credits a combination of media attention, city pressure and public support.
Albuquerque passed its cooling ordinance in December, sponsored by Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn. It updated the city’s housing code to treat cooling the same as heating — a basic, year-round requirement in all rentals.
“Cooling is a basic human right,” Fiebelkorn said at the time.
City officials say the change is about protecting health and safety, especially for families, seniors and low-income renters.
Take action: Know your rights and speak up
- File a housing complaint:
- Call: 311 or (505) 768-2000
- Report issues using the ABQ311 Web Application (https://www.cabq.gov/311/abq311/311-web-app)
- Use the ABQ311 App (cabq.gov/311/connect-with-us/abq-apps/city-apps-listing/abq311).
- Use your Alexa devices to ask questions and report issues to the City of Albuquerque.
- Know your rights: For Albuquerque’s housing code. Check the Renter’s Guide to learn more (cabq.gov/office-of-consumer-protection/documents/renters-guide-to-cabq-housing-code.pdf).
- Attend City Council:
With the City Council taking a summer break, the next City Council meeting is at 5 p.m. Aug. 4 in the Vincent E. Griego Chambers, basement level of the City of Albuquerque Government Center, 1 Civic Plaza NW.
To speak during public comment, you must sign up by 4 p.m. the day of the meeting. If you don’t have internet access, call 505-768-3100 for help.
Join virtually:
- Zoom link: cabq.zoom.us/j/84979163903
- Webinar ID: 849 7916 3903
- Phone: 669-444-9171, then enter the Webinar ID
Watch live:
- Comcast Channel 16 (GOVTV)
- Stream at cabq.gov/govtv
- On YouTube at youtube.com/@GOVTVBoardsCommissionMeetings
- Contact your councilor: Find your City Councilor at cabq.gov/council/find-your-councilor.