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Kansas City Tenants Union

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The Kansas City Tenants Union, also known as KC Tenants, is a non-profit tenant's union in Kansas City, Missouri. It was founded in 2019 by Tiana Caldwell and Tara Raghuveer. [1][2]

Kansas City Tenants Union
Founded2019 (2019)[1]
HeadquartersKansas City, Missouri
Location
  • United States
Key people
Tiana Caldwell, Diane Charity, Brandy Granados, and Tara Raghuveer (co-founders)
Websitekctenants.org/home
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History

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KC Tenants was founded with an annual budget of $30,000, which has grown to almost $600,000 in June 2023.[1] The union has worked together with Mayor Quinton Lucas on housing policy,[3] notably passing a tenant's bill of rights in 2019 that included banning "discrimination against prospective tenants solely because of a prior arrest, conviction or eviction."[4] KC Tenants has clashed with landlords and the courts over specific eviction cases[5] and the COVID eviction moratorium.[6] The group has a tenants' hotline and an incident report form for renters experiencing housing issues or who have questions about renters' rights.[7] The organization pressured the city into passing a "Right to Counsel" policy, which provides free legal counseling for renters facing eviction filings.[8][9] KC Tenants advocate for a "People's Housing Trust Fund" to build affordable housing, originally to be funded through reducing the Kansas City police department budget.[10]

The Kansas City Homeless Union formed in January 2021 with support from KC Tenants.[11] The two groups have demonstrated together for housing policy reform.[12]

KC Tenants launched its political wing in October 2022 named KC Tenants Power.[13]

KC Tenants Power

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In June 2023, candidates endorsed by KC Tenants Power won four out of the thirteen Kansas City city council commissioner seats, losing two races.[14]

Founding of Tenant Union Federation

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In August 2024, KC Tenants -- alongside Connecticut Tenant Union, Louisville Tenant Union, Bozeman Tenants United, and Not Me We -- founded the Tenant Union Federation.[15][16] The federation describes its goals as: use the collective power of its locals to negotiate better living conditions for renters, slow the commodification of housing, help establish alternatives to the predominant market-based solution to housing, guarantee housing as a public utility, and create economic and political power for its renters.[17] The federations first campaign hopes to cap rent on housing managed by the federal government.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Herschander, Sara (2023-06-21). "Foundations buoy a new movement of renters' activism". AP News. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  2. ^ "About". kctenants.org. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  3. ^ Dougherty, Conor (2022-10-15). "The Rent Revolution Is Coming". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  4. ^ Kite, Allison (2019-12-12). "Kansas City Council passes tenant bill of rights with tweaks". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on 2022-10-15. Retrieved 2023-07-01.
  5. ^ Lukitsch, Bill (2021-10-12). "KC renters in dispute with landlord after getting notice to vacate". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on 2022-10-15. Retrieved 2023-07-01.
  6. ^ Kite, Allison (2021-01-07). "KC Tenants blocks court, vows to keep disrupting evictions". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on 2022-10-15. Retrieved 2023-07-01.
  7. ^ "KC Tenants COVID-19 Response". kctenants.org. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  8. ^ Webster, Betsy (2023-06-21). "KC Tenants leader wins council seat". KCTV. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  9. ^ "Right to Legal Counsel for Kansas City tenants facing eviction to start June 1". City of Kansas City, MO. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  10. ^ Morris, Frank (2021-06-28). "KC Tenants Proposes $30 Million Affordable Housing Trust Fund, With Money Diverted From Police Budget". KCUR-FM. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  11. ^ "KCHU". kchomelessunion.org. Retrieved 2023-07-01.
  12. ^ Toyoshiba, Jill (2021-07-18). "Homeless union and KC Tenants demonstrate together after city posts notice to vacate | The Kansas City Star". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on 2021-07-18. Retrieved 2023-07-01.
  13. ^ Mansaray, Mili (2022-10-14). "KC Tenants announces sister organization focused on building political power". The Beacon. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  14. ^ Webster, Betsy (2023-06-21). "KC Tenants leader wins council seat". KCTV. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  15. ^ Hood, Nydja (2024-08-08). "KC Tenants join movement to organize nationally, fight against rising rent rates". KCTV. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  16. ^ Perez, Zach (2024-08-08). "Building on success in Kansas City, KC Tenants helps form first-ever national tenant federation". KCUR. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  17. ^ "About". Tenant Union Federation website. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
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