KANSAS CITY, MO – Last week, tenants of Quality Hill Towers and Independence Towers decided to authorize the first-ever rent strike in KC Tenants history. The strike is scheduled to commence today as part of a coordinated national campaign aimed at federally-financed properties and the demand for national rent caps.
These rent strikes represent the first time efforts have been targeted at the Federal Housing Finance Authority.
KC Tenants, the city-wide tenant union, announced the strike on Instagram last Friday, stating,
“If the Federal Housing Finance Authority fails to negotiate, or if the landlords fail to do so by 5 PM today, THE STRIKE IS ON.”
In a previous report by KC Defender, the lethal living conditions at Quality Hill Towers and the exploitative practices of the landlord were exposed. Residents endured a day without water, followed by a four-day flooding catastrophe that affected floors, stairwells, and common areas.
Just last month, Independence Towers and landlord Parker Webb faced warranted criticism after the tragic death of a young Black child who fell from an 8th-floor window. The child’s parents had informed the landlord and property manager of the broken window, but no action was taken.
According to KC Tenants’ Instagram, the rent strike is a strategic collective action where tenants will withhold their rent to achieve a set of demands:
- National rent caps
- New ownerships
- Collectively bargained leases
KC Tenants will kick off the rent strike with a 9 AM rally at Quality Hill Towers and a 10 AM rally at Independence Towers today.
This story is developing.
