‘It feels gross, it feels horrendous’: Bugs, holes, and no heat push tenants to withhold rent

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV/Gray News) - Tenants from two apartment complexes in the Kansas City metro have joined together and announced a rent strike.

The tenants are a part of the KC Tenant Union and live in the Quality Hill and Independence Towers.

The tenants said they would strike if their landlords or the federal regulator didn’t come to the negotiation table by Sept. 30.

According to the tenants, that didn’t happen, so collectively, they said they’re withholding $60,000 from this month’s rent until their demands are reached.

For months, the tenants have been demanding new ownership, collectively bargained leases and national rent caps.

KC Tenants acknowledges that while the strikes may not be legally protected, they believe the landlord has an obligation to tenants who signed their lease. Hell Woods, a resident at Quality Hill Towers said she’s not paying her rent until she sees change.

“I think that finally, it feels like we are doing the right thing and actually responding to what’s happening around here,” Woods said.

Bugs, holes, no hot water, A-C, and no heat are just some of the ongoing problems she listed.

“It feels gross, it feels horrendous, it feels terrible and ugly in my gut having to walk up my rent every single month while we are dealing with all of this,” Woods said.

On Friday, Quality Hill Towers management sent KCTV a statement regarding the possible strike. They said they’ve been negotiating in good faith with KC Tenants for over a year. The management said that claims made by the union are false saying, “the work being demanded either has already been completed or is underway” and “proposing a rent strike will only impede the property’s ability to complete these necessary repairs.”

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