KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Three years ago, Kansas City made history to keep a group of refugees and immigrants in their homes. Wednesday, those same tenants say their landlord didn’t live up to his end of the bargain — and dozens of their neighbors have joined them to demand change.
In 2023, KCTV5 reported on an unprecedented agreement between the city and Wiser KC LLC, a company owned by Yisroel Levovitz. The city agreed to pay $450 per month per unit — up to $86,400 total — to subsidize rent for eight households at 135 N. Lawn Ave. while the landlord was required to maintain the property and keep rents at $400 per month.
The agreement required the landlord to “maintain the units at 135 N. Lawn in a manner that complies with state and federal law and the City Code of Ordinances” and to “initiate repairs within three business days after initial report, or within 24 hours in the event of an emergency maintenance issue.”…