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When The Eviction Moratorium Ends | Rock Island Trail Opening | Jackson Statue Plaque

By Steve Kraske,
Zach Wilson, Danie Alexander
Published July 8, 2021 at 5:44 PM CDT
Magda Werkmeister, left, and, Tiana Caldwell chant while chained to a door on the west side of the Jackson County Courthouse on Thursday during the KC Tenants protest against eviction hearings.
Carlos Moreno
/
KCUR 89.3
Magda Werkmeister, left, and, Tiana Caldwell chant while chained to a door on the west side of the Jackson County Courthouse in October 2020 during a KC Tenants protest against eviction hearings.

What is in store for landlords and tenants come August 1, a 13.5-mile path following the old rail line is now complete, and a new plaque is attached to Jackson County's Andrew Jackson statue.

Segment 1, beginning at 1:00: Property owners and residents alike worry about what condition they'll be in once the CDC lifts an eviction moratorium.

Eviction isn't a new issue but the pandemic certainly brought it into sharper focus. "So when we think about the solutions, we think about a world where eviction isn't even an option," says tenant advocate Tara Raghuveer.

Self-described "housing provider" Stacey Johnson-Cosby remarked, "I know Tara has a dream of free housing, but not in this world." Both agreed that the millions of dollars being offered for rental assistance is neither easy to apply for nor dispensing quickly enough.

Renters and landlords in Jackson County, Missouri, can still apply for emergency rental assistance through the ERAP program. On the Kansas side, go to the KERA website for information.

  • Tara Raghuveer, founding director of KC Tenants
  • Stacey Johnson-Cosby, president, Kansas City Regional Housing Alliance

Segment 2, beginning at 26:59: The final phase of a new hiking and cycling trail connecting Lee's Summit to the Truman Sports Complex opens July 10.

The Rock Island Trail brings the longstanding dream of a trail system from Kansas City to St. Louis one step closer to realization. The southern part of the trail is built directly on the rail bed of the old Rock Island railroad line, while the northern part was created alongside the rail bed to save the tracks for future commuter transit options.

  • Matt Davis, Rock Island Trail project manager, Jackson County, Missouri

Segment 3, beginning at 41:22: Attaching plaques to Jackson County's statues of Andrew Jackson, its namesake, are meant to offer context about the life of America's seventh president.

After voters rejected removing the statues from their locations in front of the county courthouses in Kansas City and Independence, the county legislature voted to create plaques acknowledging Jackson's actions as a slave owner and a supporter of forced relocation of Native Americans.

The legislator who introduced the plaque proposal offers his thoughts on if they convey the context needed.

  • Jalen Anderson, 1st district at-large legislator, Jackson County, Missouri
Tags
Up To Date Talk Showaffordable housingkc tenantsKansas City Missouri (KCMO)Jackson CountyhikingtrailsbikesLee's SummitRaytownTruman Sports ComplexStatueslaveryNative AmericansPresidents
Steve Kraske
When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.
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Zach Wilson
As Up To Date’s senior producer, I construct daily conversations that give our listeners context to the issues of our time. I strive to provide a platform that holds those in power accountable, while also spotlighting the voices of Kansas City’s creatives and visionaries that may otherwise go unheard. Email me at zach@kcur.org.
See stories by Zach Wilson
Danie Alexander
As senior producer of Up To Date, I want our listeners to hear familiar and new voices that shine light on the issues and challenges facing the myriad communities KCUR serves, and to expose our audiences to the wonderful and the creative in the Kansas City area. Just as important to me is an obligation to mentor the next generation of producers to ensure that the important conversations continue. Reach me at alexanderdk@kcur.org.
See stories by Danie Alexander