Fannie Mae awards major payout to Kansa City tenant union, rent strike will persist
A Kansas City tenant union will receive a $1.35 million payout from Fannie Mae, as residents continue the rent strike that began over three weeks ago. Residents live in the Independence Towers apartments and are organized under Kansas City Tenants. Currently, 68 apartment units have residents, and out of these residents, around seventy percent are a part of the tenant union, and fifty-seven percent are involved in the rent strike. The tenant union stated that the strike was due to years of issues, including problems with plumbing, HVAC systems, heating, cooling, flooding, pest infestations, and mold. Hot water has been shut off for the third time in the past eight months, and this is allegedly due to building management not paying the water bill on time. The Fannie Mae payout will be used for building repairs, and the tenant union is still calling for direct negotiations between the union and Fannie Mae and building management.
See "Fannie Mae awards major payout to Kansa City tenant union, rent strike will persist", Ilana Arougheti, The Kansas City Star, October 30, 2024