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End Of Eviction Moratorium Could Hurt Both Kansas City Landlords And Tenants

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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 the KC Tenants protest against eviction hearings.

Property owners and residents worry what condition they'll be in once the CDC lifts an eviction moratorium implemented during the pandemic.

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.

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

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.

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