‘Stop evictions or people die.’ Tenants stage ‘die in’ as Jackson County court resumes
At first, they raised their right hands, fists clenched in solidarity.
Then, about 30 protesters outside the Jackson County Courthouse fell to the ground and laid motionless on the wet concrete Thursday morning.
“Stop evictions or people die,” said Tiana Caldwell, a leader with KC Tenants.
Out of work for the past 10 weeks, Caldwell said she was unable to pay rent in April or May.
“We have no idea how we’re going to make rent June 1 in this crisis or what will happen beyond that,” she said. “But I know it is not my fault.”
The group, demonstrating between the towering Kansas City Hall and the county courthouse, staged a “die-in” to illustrate what leaders said could be the consequence of a mass eviction crisis. The coronavirus has left millions of Americans out of work and local tenant advocates fear many renters struggling to pay rent will lose their homes as the pandemic persists.
“It is time to stop sacrificing human lives and put people over profit,” Caldwell said. “We the people can no longer sit back, wait and allow our government to continue handing out death sentences to innocent people.”
Plaintiffs and defendants made their way in and out of the courthouse Thursday morning, days after in-person proceedings resumed in Jackson County. KC Tenants demanded a six-month moratorium on evictions, further bans on utility shut offs and rent cancellation.
“Inside, hundreds of people are risking their lives to lose their homes. In tight hallways and narrow chambers, people will plead their case to the judge,” Caldwell said. “They might be wearing masks, but that won’t prevent exposure to the pandemic of poverty. It’s plagued us for much longer than just a few months.”
KC Tenants specifically called upon Presiding Circuit Court Judge David Byrn to extend protections to renters. On Thursday, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said his staff had also contacted Byrn’s office, pushing for an extension of the court’s eviction moratorium.
“In fact, in some ways the problem is almost more pronounced than it was before,” Lucas said at a news conference Thursday. “People who were not paid last month or were not paid the month before do not have the opportunity to make that payment as of...next week or as of this week, actually, and so we’ve continued to advocate for a moratorium.”
In a statement Thursday, Byrn said his March decision to temporarily suspend evictions through May 31 was made in the context of impending stay-home orders that closed society, businesses and government.
“At this time, new executive decisions and orders have been made to gradually and carefully reopen society, businesses and government,” the judge’s statement read. “The Court has an obligation to all parties in these cases — tenants and landlords alike — to enforce current law through procedures currently in effect. If an executive or legislative decision is made to change existing laws or procedures, the judicial branch will enforce those new laws and procedures as well.”
While advocates have called for rent cancellation during the pandemic, the Missouri Apartment Association previously told The Star that property owners still must pay their mortgages, property taxes and insurance costs. Many landlords have also argued that congressional stimulus funds and enhanced unemployment benefits limit the need for further tenant relief.
Jackson County courts were already processing more than 170 eviction cases on Thursday, said Gina Chiala, executive director and staff attorney at the Heartland Center for Jobs and Freedom. She said that number would balloon to more than 500 cases in the next three weeks.
“Behind every one of those cases, as all of you know, there’s a human being. There is a family who deserves affordable housing. There’s a family who deserves a roof over their head. There’s a family that is about to face immeasurable tragedy.”
Chiala said evicted renters will flood into homeless shelters. Some will live in their cars or find themselves in public parks, she said. Others will crowd into the homes of family and friends.
“We know what happens next,” she said. “The virus spreads and everybody suffers and people pass.”
The Star’s Allison Kite contributed to this story.
