TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Tucked away inside the Literacy Connects building in the Amphi neighborhood, a team of neighbors work together to map out their canvass route for the evening. It's a group called the Amphi Panteras Tenant Empowerment Program, which fight for tenants rights in Tucson. They help educate people and support one another as they face issues at their apartment complexes with no help from the property managers.
Since last August, Hassan Clemment worked with Southern Arizona Legal Aid, Ward 3, Tucson Tenants Union and others to get this program off the ground. This effort came after he had issues with his apartment for months with not help from his landlords.
Through canvassing the neighborhoods, he met Missy Arroyo who is a single mom living in the Malibu Apartments just a few blocks down from his apartments. She was living with mold, exposed wires and no AC throughout the entire summer. And she didn't get a long term solution from her landlords.
"If it wasn't for Hassan knocking on our doors, I never would have gotten my AC fixed," she said.
Clemment helped Arroyo call code enforcement and the property managers several times in order to get something done.
Recently, after KGUN9 aired their stories, Arroyo and Clemment met Lexi Dunson. She and her family live at the Riverwalk Luxury Apartments where her unit is infested with roaches and mold. After repeated calls to the property's office, she hasn't gotten anywhere and continues to live around the infestation.
"They're wondering why I'm living in totes," she said. "I'm living in totes because I have cockroaches."
Now, the three strangers joined forces to canvass Dunson's apartment complex and asked other people if they were having these issues. For those that needed help, the group offered resources and support.
"I've been doing this alone and I've felt really alone," Dunson said. "But by them coming out and showing me some support. I truly feel like I'm backed now."
Her fight against Riverwalk's property managment company, Scotia Group Management, is currently in the court room. The story is ongoing and will have updates soon.
But she plans to move out and keep fighting for tenants rights.
"I'm not stopping at Scotia," she said. "I want to find all the slumlords and I want laws changed."
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Tina Giuliano is a reporter for KGUN 9. She is a native Arizonan and grew up in Scottsdale. Tina is passionate about storytelling and is excited to work telling Tucson's stories. Share your story ideas and important issues with Tina by emailing tina.giuliano@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
