Three tenant unions launch in KC area, joining national movement against owner
Three Kansas City area apartment tenant unions launched Tuesday as part of a national protest against their common owner, Capital Realty Group, becoming the largest tenant union launch in the region, according to KC Tenants, a local tenant union.
Capital Realty Group, a New York based company, owns a portfolio that includes at least 14,000 units across 28 states and is one of the nation’s largest owners of subsidized housing, according to a KC Tenant news release. The company’s website was password protected Tuesday afternoon, and the company did not immediately respond to The Star’s request for comment.
The three apartment properties together represent over 476 units in total, according to a KC Tenant news release.
The new tenant unions at Park Square Apartments, at 1051 Basie Pl,, and Paraclete Manor Apartments, at 4725 Prospect Ave., are both located in Kansas City. The tenant union at Sage Crossing Apartments, located at 600 NE Howard St. in Lee’s Summit, will be the first tenant union in that metro area city.
All of them have a majority union, according to KC Tenants, which is when more than half of the occupied units are represented.
Residents say in the release they’ve endured poor living conditions including pest infestations, mold, flooding, uneven flooring and dirty air ducts. This joint launch comes about a year after nearly 60 residents and activists stood outside Quality Hill Apartments to announce their formation of a tenant union they said was the largest in Kansas City at that time.
Tenant union launch part of national push
KC Tenants is part of the Tenant Union Federation, a national organization that organizes tenant unions in several states. In August, apartments buildings in Detroit, Louisville and New Haven launched tenant unions protesting living conditions in buildings owned by Capital Realty Group as well, according to the release.
“This is the first example in recent history of tenants engaging in organizing and collective bargaining with a shared landlord, across state lines, coordinated by a Tenant Union Federation,” KC Tenants said in a news release.
Donna Jackson, a member of the Paraclete Manor Tenant union, said working with other unions across the country has helped ownership of Capital Realty commit to recognize the unions.
“Today we live with mold in our homes, we are locked out of common areas... They took away our trash cans and our furniture,” Jackson said in the release. “These are things we PAY to have access to. These are the things we use to connect with our neighbors and have community. We are monitored and harassed daily.”
Tenant unions in New Haven and Detroit met with leaders at Capital Realty Group on Aug. 27, according to the release. Capital Realty Group agreed to recognize unions and meet in good faith, not retaliate against those organizing and to meet again with tenants, including Kansas City unions, on Thursday.
According to their LinkedIn page, Capital Realty Group is a private equity real estate group that focuses on affordable housing communities across the country. Since 1999, they have been involved in the acquisition, redevelopment and operation of nearly 8,000 affordable units in 22 states.
This story was originally published September 10, 2025 at 8:29 AM.
