COVID-19 Impact: Evictions on the Rise in Kansas City

When COVID-19 hit and shelter-at-home orders began on March 24 in Kansas City, MO, we knew our low-income and already vulnerable neighbors would soon find themselves in even more desperate circumstances. That time is now. 

COVID-19 has gone from what seemed at first like an inconvenience, to a life altering challenge for our neighbors, and you can see it in the numbers: from June 1 to July 25, we have seen a 56% increase in new clients seeking social services, a 156% increase in utilities assistance, and a 114% increase in rent assistance.

On our blog in the coming weeks, we will explore the impact COVID-19 is having on our neighbors: from losing their homes, to deteriorating mental health, to an increase in domestic violence. 

If you find yourself in a position to give during these difficult times, please consider making a donation to Reconciliation Services. All of us can and will make it through this pandemic, but only if we stick together and support one another (especially those who are most vulnerable.) Thank you.      

NPR reported recently that “millions of Americans are facing the threat of eviction as a federal moratorium that has protected renters during the pandemic” expires. 

Here in KC, our Jackson County eviction moratorium expired May 31, and according to KC Tenants, a local community organizing group, about 1000 evictions have been heard by the courts since then.

KC Tenants painted a dire picture of the state of Kansas City housing ahead of their recent rally at the Jackson County Courthouse: 

“The rent is due again on August 1. Hundreds of thousands of Missouri tenants won’t be able to pay. Over 361,000 Missouri rental households are currently unable to make rent and are at risk of eviction. That’s almost 50% of all Missouri renters. Over the next four months, an estimated 243,000 evictions will be filed across Missouri, as a result of the job loss and lack of government protections throughout the Coronavirus pandemic.’

“Here in KC, our Jackson County eviction moratorium expired May 31, and about 1000 evictions have been heard by the courts since then. Hearings are happening in person (putting people at risk of COVID) and by teleconference (violating due process). As always, most of the evictions are being filed in Black and brown neighborhoods, reinforcing decades of racial capitalism, designed to neglect, exploit, and oppress.”

>>>>> For more on this history, check out our blog post last week, “A Look Back & A Way Forward.” 

Evictions are on the rise, but why the 156% increase in utilities assistance and a 114% increase in rent assistance amongst our neighbors at RS? Matthew Desmond of Princeton University's Eviction Lab summed it up in the NPR piece: 

“Across the United States, one in 20 renters faces an eviction every year. For African American renters, that statistic is one in 11. We've created, in low-income communities of color, the semipermanent renter class.’

“So before the pandemic, the majority of renters below the poverty line were already spending half of their income on housing costs or more. And 1 in 4 of those families were spending over 70% of their income just on rent and utilities. When you're spending 70, 80% of your income on rent and the lights, you don't need to have a big emergency wash over your life to get evicted. Something very small can do it.”

That explains the uptick in assistance needed, and unfortunately means that things will likely get worse for many of our neighbors already struggling to pay their rent and utility bills.  

You can help and make a difference: give just $25/month. We are in the midst of the biggest emergency many of us have ever experienced, which means it is time to lean in to our core values: Community. Dignity. Advocacy.  

Community is a fundamental truth that all people are interconnected and created to live in relationship with one another. While COVID-19 has physically pushed us further apart than ever, paradoxically it has also brought us closer together as our lives being disrupted helps us to grow in compassion for others. 

If you are able, please give generously now. We’ll be back next week to interview Kimberly Henderson, our Client Care Supervisor, who works day in and day out to help our neighbors find a new normal. Stay tuned.