Kansas City, KS — For Aundrea Charleston, coming home used to bring relief after a long day. A cold glass of iced tea and the comfort of her apartment’s air conditioning would make the day’s stress melt away. But that changed abruptly in mid-July when storms struck the area, leaving her apartment complex without power for weeks.
Power Outage Caused by Storm Damage
On July 15, heavy storms and rain caused a retaining wall in the complex’s backyard to collapse, crushing the building’s electrical infrastructure. The damage left residents with no electricity, no lights, no air conditioning, and no way to operate any devices that relied on power. What was meant to be a temporary inconvenience quickly became a prolonged ordeal.
“It’s awfully hard to keep things cold when you don’t have any electrical power,” Charleston said. For her, everyday routines became a struggle as she and other tenants had to navigate daily life in sweltering heat without functioning appliances.
Repeated Complaints and City Notice
Charleston reported the outages to management repeatedly, describing how she “kept reporting the outages every day, every day, every day.” Despite her persistence, weeks passed without resolution. On August 28, city inspectors posted a notice on the building, warning residents that if the power was not restored by that date, all tenants would be required to vacate the premises.
“When this date comes, literally we’ll be right here on the sidewalk, because we have nowhere to go,” Charleston said, expressing her uncertainty about what she would do if the deadline passed.
Landlord and Permit Issues
Seeking assistance, Charleston reached out to the FOX4 Problem Solvers. Investigations revealed that the landlord, based in Atlanta, Georgia, was facing bureaucratic obstacles. According to him, the city required the electrical power source to be relocated from the back to the side of the building to comply with updated code standards.
“Otherwise, we would’ve had it done within a week,” the landlord claimed, explaining that the relocation now requires new permits, a process that takes additional time.
City Response and Pending Resolution
FOX4 followed up with the Kansas City Building Inspections Department, which responded in writing:
“Effective and extensive email correspondence has been ongoing prior to the unfit posting of this building. The unfit status was placed due to the time frame of repair/repairs to be made and the lack of utilities to the building.”
Despite the correspondence, further clarifications from the city are still pending, leaving tenants in a prolonged state of uncertainty.
Tenant Relief Measures
In the meantime, the landlord informed FOX4 that residents are not being charged rent while the power outage persists. He also stated that tenants who wish to terminate their leases would be allowed to do so without penalty.
This situation highlights the challenges faced by residents when unexpected structural damage intersects with bureaucratic permitting delays, leaving families in unlivable conditions for extended periods. With the city’s August 28 deadline approaching, tenants like Charleston remain in limbo, hoping for a swift resolution.
Community Awareness and Assistance
FOX4 encourages residents in similar situations to document their complaints and engage with local problem-solving resources to ensure their concerns are heard. As Charleston and her neighbors navigate this ordeal, the balance between tenant rights, landlord responsibilities, and city codes continues to be tested.
For more details, see the original FOX4 report here.
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