Lost on options, grandma kicked out of KC senior home for ‘partying’ may be left homeless
A Kansas City woman’s living situation is up in the air after she was denied a lease renewal from her senior living center, following accusations of excessive partying.
Vivian Jackson, 68, said after years of contending with unresponsive management, plus unsubstantiated accusations of partying, the center is now insisting that she must go.
Jackson, who has been living at the Emanuel Cleaver II Senior Living Community, was given until July 31 to leave her apartment and find new housing, but has struggled to find an affordable assisted living facility.
The senior center did not respond to calls seeking comment.
She said that in the span of her three years living in the apartment, Jackson experienced repeat floodings, and injured herself several times as a result. When she approached management to make repairs, she thought it would be resolved, but soon after the repairs were done, the flooding continued.
Then, in the past year, Jackson was accused of having excessive numbers of guests over and of loud partying, which she says is untrue. As her nurse Virginia Sanders confirmed to The Star, her only guests were her nurse and her sons, who come to help in the evening.
“I’ve lost so much weight because of stress, and I don’t really have anybody to help,” Jackson said.
This last week, Jackson said she’s been trying her best, but moving out of the apartment has been a struggle with her medical issues, which have made her weak and slowed her mobility.
On Tuesday, Jackson and her home nurse spoke with management at the senior living center to ask for additional days for the move because of recent storms and power outages. The management staff declined giving the extra days, Jackson said, and told her they are going to hand over the issue to legal aid.
That’s concerning for her, she said, because she said she fears having an eviction on her record. She’s also worried about having no home, and even talked about living in her car at one point.
“I didn’t even have electricity, and she doesn’t care. This is not professional. I wouldn’t even do a dog like this,” Jackson said.
‘When you’re down, seems like everyone kicks you’
Jackson said she’s applied to several other senior living centers, and is on the wait-list for a few, but she said shelters are not an option due to her weakened immune system and necessary medical equipment.
Case workers from the the Housing Authority of Kansas City Missouri gave Jackson a voucher for a two bedroom apartment, but she said she is having trouble getting back in contact with the case worker to find an affordable place accepting Section 8 vouchers.
“I have a lot of health issues. I can’t work. If I could work at McDonald’s or something to supplement the income to help me, I would do that, but I can’t do it. It’s hard to even stand on my legs,” Jackson said.
Over the years, Jackson said she’s had over 20 surgeries and takes a lot of medication.
Jackson is unsure of her status at the senior living facility, and has spent her last few days at the apartment packing and moving her belongings to storage, and donating her things to shelters or others without homes.
She said she’s always been a giver, and tries to help others even in her current living situation.
She said right now she is sleeping on the floors of her apartment, since she no longer has a bed there, and is taking everything one day at a time until she figures out her next move.
Thursday, her nurse turned in a month worth of rent money to the management office and was given a receipt. Jackson hopes that means that even though her lease end date was July 31, they might let her continue to live there, at least for now.
Sanders said it’s sad seeing her friend and client go through something like this. She is helping all she can, but knows it won’t be enough.
“I know times are hard for a lot of people, but I’ve been here all my life – all I am asking is for someone to listen to me, and reach out and help me, I just need some help right now,” Jackson said.
This story was originally published August 5, 2023 at 6:30 AM.
