2025 rent strike against Capital Realty Group

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2025 rent strike against Capital Realty Group
DateOctober 1, 2025 – present
Location
Kansas City metropolitan area, Missouri;
New Haven, Connecticut; Detroit; Louisville, Kentucky; Billings, Montana
Caused by
  • Alleged failure from the landlords to provide maintenance
Goals
  • Timely maintenance fixes
  • Cancellation of back rent
  • Collectively bargained lease
  • Pest control[1]
Methods
Parties
  • Capital Realty Group
    • Charles Hill

A majority of tenants at Bowen Tower Apartments in Kansas City, Missouri have been on rent strike since October 1, 2025, demanding maintenance fixes and collectively bargained leases. The Tenant Union Federation supported the effort with an interstate unionization drive of properties within Capital Realty Group's rental portfolio.

Background

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From August 6 to Sept 30, seven unions formed in New Haven,[2][3] Detroit, Louisville,[4] Kansas City, and Billings[5] with support from their respective tenants unions and the Tenant Union Federation. Over 1,000 renters had joined the union drive by September.[6]

Capital Realty Group owns about 22,000 units. Tenant organizers demanded to collectively bargain a lease for the entire rental portfolio.[6]

Strike

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TUF member alleges there was unionbusting and retaliation against tenant union members during the strike.

Only one of the seven unions has formally announced a rent strike since October 1.

KC metro

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On Wednesday, October 1, 2025, Bowen Tower Tenants Union members affiliated with KC Tenants announced a rent strike.[7] Union members demanded fixes to alleged maintenance issues, such as bedbug infestations, AC summer outages, and broken appliances.[7] The strike is ongoing.

Bowen Tower union members display signs alleging that their landlord, Charles Hill, is a slumlord.
Kansas City mayor Quinton Lucas shows support for KC Tenants members on strike at Bowen Towers in Raytown, Missouri.

Response

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KC metro

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The Bowen Tower management company, Lynd Management, claimed to have spent $214,951.73 on repairs and said they are continuing to improve conditions.[8]

Kansas City mayor Quinton Lucas called for Capital Realty to meet with tenants and "give them the type of housing that you and your family would want for yourselves."[9]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Navarro, Jiani (September 9, 2025). "KC Tenants launch largest union effort in region to demand change from corporate landlord". 'kctv5.com'. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  2. ^ Mahadevan, Mona (August 6, 2025). "Park Ridge Seniors Form Tenants Union". New Haven Independent. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  3. ^ Mahadevan, Mona (September 29, 2025). "Legislators To Landlord: Negotiate With Your Tenants". New Haven Independent. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  4. ^ Staff, WAVE (August 28, 2025). "Residents at Louisville apartment join Tenants Union to combat 'intolerable living conditions'". 'wave3.com'. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  5. ^ Klepps, Charlie (September 11, 2025). "Billings apartment complex residents forming tenant union". Q2 News (KTVQ). Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  6. ^ a b Capps, Kriston (September 22, 2025). "Tenants Seek to Unionize One Private Equity Firm's Entire Housing Portfolio". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  7. ^ a b Calacal, Celisa (October 1, 2025). "Raytown's first tenant union goes on a rent strike to protest unsanitary conditions". KCUR - Kansas City news and NPR. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  8. ^ Ledonne, Isabella (October 2, 2025). "Raytown apartment complex launches rent strike, demands better living conditions". KSHB 41 Kansas City News. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  9. ^ Silva, Fernanda (October 5, 2025). "Tenants across Kansas City area demand action from landlord over living conditions". KSHB 41 Kansas City News. Retrieved October 10, 2025.