As more Kansans rent, tenants look to secure protections from abusive landlords

Democrat Alexis Simmons says a renters bill of rights could end up protecting both tenants and landlords. (Photo by Maya Smith for Kansas Reflector)

Consider these chilling numbers regarding the age of homeowners in the past versus today: In 1965, the typical homeowner was in their 20s or 30s. Today, the median age for all home buyers sits at 59.

Data show that nearly half of the people born in the 1960s bought a home by 30. By the 1980s, that number sank to 35%. The average first-time buyer today is 40, the highest on record. The average repeat buyer’s age has climbed to 62, also the highest ever. 

As more people rent rather than buy, movements in Topeka and Wichita protecting renters from abusive landlords have become more important than ever.

Kevin Myles, former head of the Wichita branch NAACP, hosted a town hall Dec. 6 in Wichita where people shared their rental experiences. That information will populate a brief he’s preparing for city officials in January. 

“Wichita is in the midst of a serious housing affordability and stability crisis, where too many families are spending a disproportionate share of their income just to keep a roof overhead,” said Myles, founder and executive director of Community First. “According to city’s own Consolidated Plan, a large share of renter households spends more than 30%, and some are even spending more than 50% of their income on housing costs.” 

That, he said, combined with the recent rejection by the city council of proposals to create a landlord registry or ban discrimination based on source of income, leaves families and youths vulnerable to substandard housing, discrimination and retaliatory eviction. 

He said a strong, codified tenants bill of rights could help protect the dignity, health and stability of families in Wichita. It would guarantee that landlords can’t refuse deny applicants because of income supports.

Myles said these provisions can ensure that landlords with a history of violations are held accountable, and that rental homes meet basic standards, so children don’t live in unsafe conditions.

“In a city where some families already struggle under cost burdens and where renters often lack leverage, codifying these protections can mean the difference between a stable, nurturing home and a cycle of insecurity, eviction risk, and trauma,” Myles said. 

Anyone who ever has rented an apartment or house has a horror story about landlords keeping deposits for dust on windowsills or paint improvements. Landlords certainly also have tenant horror stories of their own, from having to rip up pet-stained carpet, repairing bowling-ball sized holes in walls, and mountains of debris that they have to collect and dump.

After years of renting out property, they would like to retain the right to choose renters that their experience tells them would make for good tenants and reject those more likely to pay late or to damage property.

A tenant’s bill of rights could make life easier for everyone, said Rep. Alexis Simmons, D-Topeka.

“An enforced tenant’s bill of rights protects both tenants and landlords by providing clear expectations, empowering everyone involved,” Simmons said. “The inherently unequal tenant-landlord relationship makes these ordinances particularly important.”

Kansas Legal Services includes resources on its website about tenant rights. 

“This webpage is dedicated to explaining the issues that Kansas tenants might face, as well as their legal rights before, during and after tenancy,” according to the site.

Simmons said the struggling economy may have shifted renter’s attention to mere affordability, but that ignores other important factors.

“Affordable housing means nothing if that housing is not also safe, reliable, and up to code,” she said. “We know from both the hard data and just common sense that tenants with lower incomes and fewer resources are subjected to exploitation and abuse by landlords at a greater rate than everyone else. This can also mean they don’t realize their landlords are breaking the law or know about the avenues through which they can seek remediation and accountability.”

Mark McCormick is the former executive director of the Kansas African American Museum, a member of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission and former deputy executive director at the ACLU of Kansas. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.