Residents said several apartment units and common areas have been without air conditioning for much of the summer.
"When we moved here it was beautiful and we trying to keep it from being a ghetto because it's heading that way now," resident Corrine Days said.
"Our hallways from 1st to 4th floors been like saunas. You could walk through them and break out in a sweat," said Melvin Price, council president of the tenant association.
The property, located on the 2000 block of Haines Street, was built in 2020 and provides affordable housing for residents who are at least 62 years old.
Philadelphia City Councilmember Anthony Phillips said he became aware of the residents' concerns and visited the property Friday before returning Saturday with the city's Office of Licensing and Inspections.
"When I knocked on a door of a 90-year-old woman, and I walked into her room, they had fans in there. It was burning hot in there. I felt the sweat," Phillips said.
During the visit, Phillips said he observed several maintenance issues.
"We saw mice coming out of the trash area. We saw broken windows. We observed a broken door," he said.
Residents said the problems have persisted for nearly a year.
"We have a floor on our second floor that's buckled, and it's a hazard because someone may hurt themselves trip & fall," Price said.
In a statement, Conifer, the company that owns and manages the building, said, "Our first step was immediate relief: portable cooling units were installed in the affected homes while permanent repairs are completed.
Our facilities team and contractors are on site.
Replacement compressors and parts are being secured now, with installation beginning this week and expected to take four to five days once equipment arrives.
A manufacturer-certified technician is scheduled to be on-site this week to complete the evaluation of the rooftop equipment serving the hallways, with our regional facilities manager present.
Our community manager is in direct contact with every affected resident to confirm the temporary units are making a difference and to keep households updated until the permanent fix is complete."