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]
Founded | 2019[1] |
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Headquarters | Kansas City, Missouri |
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Key people | Tiana Caldwell and Tara Raghuveer (co-founders) |
Website | kctenants |
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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]
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]