KSHB 41 reporter Isabella Ledonne reports on stories in Overland Park, Johnson County and topics about government accountability. Share your story idea with Isabella.
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"You have 24 hours to pack and leave."
That's what more than a dozen residents at North Lawn Apartments in Kansas City's Historic Northeast neighborhood said the city told them on Tuesday.
KSHB 41 News received a tip that the KC Public Safety Task Force was at North Lawn Apartment complex on Tuesday afternoon. The apartment buildings have a history of bad management and bad living conditions. According to KC Tenants, an entire building has been without electricity or air conditioning for a month.
The organization and tenants have been calling on the building's landlord and the city to help address the issues for weeks. But instead, residents on Tuesday are reeling from feeling forced out of their homes with nowhere to go.
For nearly 15 years, Win Say has called the apartment complex home. She immigrated from Myanmar [Burma]. Her granddaughter, Aasia Dardea, helped translate for KSHB 41 News reporter Isabella Ledonne.
"There's a lot of Burmese community around me," Say said in Burmese. "I don't speak English, so this is where I only want to stay."
Dardea was at her grandparent's apartment on Tuesday after she received a panicked call asking for her help.
"Literally every household, [the task force and police] knocked on doors and told them, 'Hey you guys have 24 hours to leave, pack yourself and leave," Dardea said. "They didn't even explain where to go or nothing."
As of Tuesday, the buildings have not been condemned or deemed unsafe. However, there has been a slew of concerning living conditions like leaking ceilings, rodent problems and lack of electricity that has led KC Tenants to ask the city to step in, demanding accountability from the landlord.
"We've been trying to get the city to take proactive steps to protect tenants," Mary Allison Joseph an organizer, said. "They just haven't delivered on anything."
Several safety task force members and police officers were out inspecting the buildings on Tuesday. According to neighbors, they told at least 12 families in the building they had to leave due to "unsafe conditions".
"That moment, I felt so scared and panicked," Say said in Burmese. "We want to stay here, this is our house."
The city told KSHB 41 News reporter Isabella Ledonne they received several complains about North Lawn Apartments.
"Members of the City's Public Safety Task Force went to the North Lawn Avenue apartments to complete an inspection on Tuesday, July 7," Housing and Community Development Public Information Officer Asia Jones said in a statement. "Following this inspection, the task force members will reconvene this week to discuss findings, and if it is determined that the apartment complex is out of compliance, the city will issue a notice to vacate and work with tenants."
Ledonne wanted to know "Can you provide context why tenants were told to leave within 24 hours if the inspection had not been complete?"
"The City did not make this statement" Jones said. "The Public Safety Task Force is still reviewing findings. No tenants have been asked to vacate at this time," Jones responded.
But Say and Dardea recall a different story of what happened Tuesday.
"[My grandma] started packing her stuff, they have nowhere to go," Dardea said. "There's a lot of Burmese people here so they want to stay together."
After Ledonne reached out to the city, a spokesperson confirmed neighbors are able to stay for the time being. But the worry of where to go next stays with Say and her granddaughter.
"The only reason I moved to KC is because of my grandparents," Dardea said. "This is their home."
The property owner and landlord did not respond to KSHB 41's request for comment.
Kansas City will continue its inspection investigation.
"The City will work with its partners to help with relocation and support relocation expenses, but ultimately it is the property owner’s responsibility to maintain its units in livable conditions or provide its tenants with livable units," Jones said in a statement. "Any City violations will result in appropriate follow up from various departments, which can include citations, a notice of violation, reinspection fees, court proceedings, or other legal remedies available under applicable laws."
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