Eviction

This year, the Kansas City area had the highest yearly increase in rent among the 50 biggest cities in the country, according to a new study. Renters now pay an average of $1,044 per month in Jackson County, but wages aren't rising with them.

In Jackson County, the fee for a landlord to file for eviction is just $62. Researchers found that when filing fees are low, landlords are more likely to file evictions "serially" against the same tenant as a way to collect late rent — rather than as a last resort.

Tenants of Lew McGinnis say his apartments are in a state of disrepair, yet evictions are filed quickly and repeatedly.

La relación propietario-inquilino puede crear un campo abierto para disputas que pueden terminar en desalojo. Muchos inquilinos no saben que hay leyes y reglamentos que los protegen. Aquellas normas varían de un estado a otro.

The landlord-tenant relationship can be fertile ground for disputes that can result in eviction. Many renters may not realize there are laws and regulations that protect them, and they vary from state to state.

A lack of affordable housing is sending hundreds of pets to the city’s animal shelter every year, according to KC Pet Project. And advocates say it’s getting worse.

Seven plaintiffs have joined a class action lawsuit against Stonegate Meadows, a low-income apartment complex on East 42nd Street, alleging that the property owners refused to address "uninhabitable conditions" — including problems with black mold, rodent infestations and sewage backup.

Since launching last June, right to counsel has helped hundreds of tenants avoid eviction, proof to advocates that the program is working.

With the end of pandemic-era housing protections, Midwest states are ramping up evictions again, which is causing a growing public health crisis. Since March 2020, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment has increased nearly 18% percent in Missouri.

Missouri’s program is accepting applications into 2023. The program for renters will cover up to 18 months of total assistance.

Republican Kris Kobach promises to sue the federal government every chance he gets if he’s elected Kansas attorney general. Plus, how a new program in Kansas City is already helping hundreds of tenants facing eviction.

Since Kansas City's right-to-counsel program took effect on June 1, a group of attorneys collectively have taken on 139 new cases of tenants facing eviction. Kansas City sees an average of 9,000 evictions every year.