Independence Towers tenants demand safer living conditions

The Independence Towers Apartment Complex is home to nearly 80 residents.

Many of them unionized in March after they shared hot water was off for two weeks.

Tenants gathered for a rally on Tuesday about their current living conditions in front of St. Mark's United Methodist Church, which is about half a mile from the apartment building.

"In the last six months, we were forced to live without hot water in March for two weeks," said Steve West, a tenant at Independence Towers. "​Then, last week, our landlord forced us to live without water again for eight days."

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According to the city of Independence, Trigild, the owners of Independence Towers, recently worked to get hot water back for all residents.

The city said the company also continues to install window unit air conditioners for all tenants.

Tenants at the rally said they only get one air conditioning unit per apartment and it's not enough.

In fact, some people complained it has doubled and, in some cases, quadrupled their utility costs.

While the hot water and AC problems are significant, several tenants said their issues don't stop there.

Diasha White said she doesn't feel comfortable sleeping with her lights off anymore.

"I have a hole in my ceiling that's been there for three years, and it's still there," White said. "We've changed management, and it's still there. Rodents come out of that hole; bugs come out of that hole."

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The primary focus on Tuesday were their living conditions, so they did not discuss a three year old who died after falling out of an eight-story window at the apartment.

As devastating as that situation is, tenants like White shared unsafe conditions that could compromise their health, including moldy ceilings and mice droppings in their furniture.

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White believes it will take more than a maintenance request, which tenants state has to be put in writing or taken to the office in person because their online portal has been down for years.

"They need to replace. They need to overhaul. They need to upgrade now," he said. "There's no more sticking band-aids on it."

The unionized tenants went back home after the rally, but they question if the owners could call it that too.

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"Would you allow your family to live in conditions like these? If not, why are you forcing mine to?" White said.

KSHB 41 has requested the latest inspection report for the building.

We attempted to reach Trigild on Tuesday but did not hear back.

Tenants are also asking the the City of Independence to step in. The city acknowledged they're aware of many of the complaints and have been working with the company.

The city of Independence hasn't received any complaints, which must be a formal complaint and include the person's name and proof of address from any residents at Independence Towers. We are in conversations to make it easier for residents in similar situations (like Independence Towers) to file a complaint.

Prior to last month, our teams were already reviewing the latest version of the International Building Codes. Part of that was any additional property maintenance codes specific to large multi-tenant buildings, like Independence Towers. Currently, our codes encompass things like weeds and trash, and expanding it is something that takes thorough and thoughtful consideration. Already, city employees are looking at codes from across the United States to emulate best practices and see what works best for Independence.

The city continues to work with the court-appointed receivership for Independence Towers, Trigild. While we are legally required to communicate and work through FTW Investments, the legal owner of the property, Trigild, has been responsive and cooperative to our concerns. The city also continues to work with the residents of Independence Towers through KC Tenants.

We realize this is a complicated problem, and that means there is no simple solution but we continue to work towards something that will help all parties find a safe solution.

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KSHB 41 reporter Alyssa Jackson covers portions of Johnson County, including neighborhoods in Overland Park, Shawnee and Mission. Share your story idea with Alyssa .