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A federal judge blocked a Kansas City, Missouri, housing ordinance that caused a rift last year between housing advocates and landlords.
KSHB 41 News amplified those voices on the ordinance, which prevented landlords from refusing to rent to tenants based on source of income, including Section 8 vouchers.
After a yearlong court battle, a judge ruled Tuesday the ordinance is not valid.
"The city council just went one step too far," Doug Stone, an attorney for the landlords, said.
Under state and city laws, Missouri landlords cannot discriminate against renters because of race, gender or sexuality.
The Kansas City, Missouri, City Council passed the ordinance to add protections against discrimination of source of income, including Section 8 vouchers, which is a voluntary federal program. The ordinance passed in 2024 10-3, with councilmembers Kevin O'Neill, Nathan Willett and Wes Rogers voting against.
"Being in the Section 8 program as a landlord is that you are signing a waiver of your constitutional rights against searches without a warrant," Stone said.
Constitutional concerns led two Kansas City landlords to file a lawsuit against the city.
Stone, their attorney, explained what a federal judge's preliminary injunction ruling in favor of the landlords means.
"All this does is keep in effect the law as it was before the city adopted its ordinance," Stone said.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said in a statement he still supports the tenant housing access program.
"The actions taken by landlords to challenge the program in courts and in Jefferson City jeopardizes housing access for the over 17,000 Kansas Citians waiting for housing vouchers, which leaves over 17,000 Kansas Citians still looking for a stable place to live in our city," Mayor Lucas said. "Having experienced homelessness in my own life, I can only hope that landlords spend time this winter working with the City, housing advocates in our community, and their renters to help people get and stay off the streets here in Kansas City, rather than looking to close the door to housing access through high-priced lobbyists and lawyers at our legislatures and in our courts."
Stone explained he recognizes the housing crisis in Kansas City, but it's not up to private businesses and landlords to fix.
"It's a challenge," Stone said. "If the government is trying to solve a societal problem, we're all for that, but then you should be using governmental resources to do that."
The judge's preliminary injunction will stand until the lawsuit goes to trial, but as of right now, we don't know when that will be.
KC Tenants and Kansas City, Mo., Councilman Johnathan Duncan sent a statement Friday on the judge's decision.
Here is part of that statement:
"Housing is a basic human right. The ordinance KC Tenants fought for ensures that no one is denied access to housing simply because of how they pay their rent, whether through a housing choice voucher, disability benefits, or other legal sources of income. It does not force landlords to rent to anyone, but rather, it requires them to consider every applicant fairly and fully."
"At a time when homelessness is on the rise and housing costs are reaching unprecedented levels, tenant protections like a ban on source of income discrimination are essential to ensure that families have a fair shot at stable housing. Requiring landlords to consider an applicant's entire rental history and circumstances benefits not only individual families but the community as a whole. Limiting access to housing through discriminatory practices will only exacerbate the housing issues we face."
"Source of income discrimination is unjust and harmful. It excludes tenants based on how they afford rent rather than who they are as renters. Everyone deserves safe, stable housing, and no one should be denied that right because of their source of income. KC Tenants remains committed to fighting for this ordinance and ensuring that every Kansas City resident has access to the housing they deserve."
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