“Some say we’re anti-development, but that’s not it. We’re anti-displacement. We’re anti-racist. We’re anti-getting priced out of our own city. At KC Tenants Power, we support the development of truly affordable housing. We know we can have a city that is diverse, prosperous, beautiful…without putting profits before our lives. That’s why we supported, fought for, and won this $50 million bond for housing Kansas City really needs, and that we can truly afford,” said Gabe Coppage, leader with KC Tenants Power and Midtown Tenant Union.
Editor’s Note: Below is a press release from KC Tenants Power about the 84% vote (at the time of this writing) for a resolution on yesterday’s ballot for a $50 million bond for affordable housing. From the group’s website: “KC Tenants Power is led by tenants, organizing to take our city back and house the people. We are the sibling organization to KC Tenants, Kansas City’s citywide tenant union. We are focused on winning governing power for tenants. Find KC Tenants Power at: kctenantspower.org or at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086382217049
KANSAS CITY, MO— Today, following weeks of organizing by KC Tenants Power, Kansas City voters passed Question 2, authorizing a $50 million bond for deeply affordable housing with 84% of the vote (with 80% precincts reporting). The bond is the largest commitment to housing in the City’s history.
On October 13, KC Tenants passed a resolution guaranteeing the bond money will be directed to Kansas City’s Housing Trust Fund to create and preserve housing at or below 30% area median income (AMI), or between $550-$750 in rent.
Since then, KC Tenants Power, a 501(c)(4) organization and the sibling to KC Tenants, has organized the largest field program in the city, contacting 21,008 voters and engaging several thousand in conversations about Question 2.
KC Tenants set the stage for this victory over the last four years by organizing to make housing a central issue in municipal politics, writing and winning a Tenants Bill of Rights in 2019, taking action to protect tenants during the COVID-19 pandemic, writing and winning Tenants’ Right to Counsel in 2021, and unionizing building- and neighborhood-wide unions across the City.
KC Tenants Power will host listening sessions on a range of issues through the end of the year and into the spring. The organization also plans to offer endorsements in the 2023 municipal elections.
“Tenants won today. Period. I personally knocked 718 doors talking to voters about Question 2 and what I heard was Kansas City residents are down for truly affordable housing. $1200 rent isn’t affordable but, thanks to our organizing, that’s not what was on the ballot,” said Tonya Bowman, a leader with KC Tenants Power. “Kansas City needed this, and I’m proud KC Tenants Power made sure we got it.”
“Some say we’re anti-development, but that’s not it. We’re anti-displacement. We’re anti-racist. We’re anti-getting priced out of our own city. At KC Tenants Power, we support the development of truly affordable housing. We know we can have a city that is diverse, prosperous, beautiful…without putting profits before our lives. That’s why we supported, fought for, and won this $50 million bond for housing Kansas City really needs, and that we can truly afford,” said Gabe Coppage, leader with KC Tenants Power and Midtown Tenant Union.
“Question 2 was on the ballot because tenants organized like our lives depend on it, because they do. Now that tenants won this historic measure, let’s be clear that it should be tenants at the table to decide how the money is spent. We know that the people closest to the problem are closest to the solutions,” said Patricia Bordallo-Dibildox, leader with KC Tenants Power.
“Today Kansas City voters sent a clear message and I hope all of our City’s leaders heard them: our people are worth fighting for. Today, we won. Tomorrow, we organize. And this City better get ready for what we’ve got coming in the spring,” said Brandon Henderson, organizer with KC Tenants Power.
KC Tenants Power is led by tenants in Kansas City, organizing to take our city back, to win governing power, and to house the people. KC Tenants Power is the 501(c)4 sibling organization of KC Tenants, the citywide tenant union in Kansas City.
