KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Friday, KC Tenants And Office of Representative Emanuel Cleaver announced that $1.35 million from Fannie Mae would be dedicated to repairing the Independence Towers. This comes as tenant unions at that complex and Quality Hill Towers in downtown Kansas City are on rent strike.

“It’s incredibly exciting,” said Anna Heetmann, of KC Tenants and the Independence Towers Tenant Union. “This is really the first major victory we’ve had in this rent strike and it’s really huge. Over a million dollars for repairs we’ve needed for years.

Heetmann has been a resident of Independence Towers for over 5 years. She says during that time she has had pests in her home, water damage and a hole in her ceiling for years that hasn’t been repaired.

“I had periods where my bathtub wouldn’t drain and my kitchen sink was unusable for eight months,” Heetmann said. “That’s a lot.”

The news comes as tenant unions at Independence Towers and Quality Hill Towers in downtown Kansas City are on rent strike, now the longest rent strike in the region according to KC Tenants. Friday marked day 25.

Heetmann says she and other tenants have felt empowered since the strike began in early October.

“We have seen improvements that we know would not have happened if we had not acted until now,” Heetmann said. “We showed that our rent has power and that’s what we were trying to do.” We need to be included in the conversation and we are willing to take that risk to make it happen.

In a statement, KC Tenants called this a majority victory and the first breakthrough since the start of the rent strike. The statement continues:

“We appreciate Rep. Cleaver for supporting us and fighting for accountability from the regulator, Fannie Mae, and our building trustee, Trigild, Inc. While celebrating this milestone, we remain committed to our rent strike, which demands structural solutions. Ultimately, this is a one-time bailout for parties who have neglected their tenants. We expect Sandra Thompson, Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, to meet us at the negotiating table. We will not back down until tenants negotiate a contract that protects our homes.

Rep. Cleaver’s office said the $1.35 million provided by Fannie Mae will be used to repair and cover operations of the Independence Towers until the property can be transferred to a new owner. This is in addition to $425,000 provided by the company earlier this year. Trigild Inc was appointed to oversee the property by a Jackson County judge in May after the property’s original owner failed to maintain adequate living conditions for tenants.

“Since our visit to Independence Towers last month, my staff and I have worked tirelessly to ensure that the voices and legitimate safety concerns of the apartment complex’s tenants are heard at the highest levels of government and taken into account,” Congressman Cleaver said in a statement Friday. . “I have been in contact with all parties since my disturbing visit to the property last month, and I am pleased to announce that Fannie Mae has provided an additional $1.35 million to Independence Towers to cover operations for months to come and address other long overdue repairs While I am grateful to Fannie for taking steps to support the work of the Receiver, there is still work to be done to ensure the conditions of the property. meet the standards that all tenants deserve and expect – and I won’t stop pushing for action for my constituents.

Heetmann said she was with Cleaver when he visited the complex.

“He was appalled and since then I think it really lit a fire in him,” Heetmann said.

A Fannie Mae spokesperson also made statements about the Independence and Quality Hill towers. Regarding the Independence Towers:

“When the owner of Independence Towers failed to make repairs to the property, we quickly asked the Jackson County Court to appoint a receiver to make the necessary repairs. The court appointed a receiver in May 2024. Fannie Mae does not own or manage Independence Towers, but as the owner of the loan, Fannie Mae is financing the repairs and confers regularly with the court-appointed receiver. Since then, Fannie Mae has provided more than $1.7 million for the operation and repairs of the property, including repairs that tenants brought to the attention of the receiver and the property management company. Fannie Mae remains committed to supporting the ongoing work that the Receiver must complete until the property is transferred to a new owner.

Regarding Quality Hill Towers:

“We share the goal of ensuring that Quality Hill Towers is a safe and comfortable place to live. However, Fannie Mae does not own or operate Quality Hill. Sentinel Real Estate Corporation is the owner and responsible for all operations and repairs of the property. We receive regular updates from Sentinel. Fannie Mae encourages all Quality Hill tenants to contact Sentinel directly with any issues with their apartment or building.

Heetmann says the union will celebrate this victory, but it’s not over. Since the strikes began, KC Tenants said unions have been demanding, among other things, national rent caps, new landlords and collectively negotiated leases.

“We won’t be done until Sandra Thompson and Fannie Mae come to the table and negotiate with us,” Heetmann said. Thompson is the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

Both tenant unions plan to vote to possibly continue the rent strikes into November.

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