Kansas Renters Upset Over Landlords’ Refusal To Accept Rent Assistance Money As Payment

Renters in Kansas are upset over landlords’ refusal to accept stimulus money as payment for their rent.

Renters in Kansas are speaking out against their landlords, who are allegedly refusing to take their stimulus money as payment for their monthly rent. One of those renters is Rarla Ridgnal, who lives in an apartment complex in Shawnee. “I’m still behind on so many things,” said Ridgnal, who has lived in the apartment complex for four years.

Ridgnal was pushed into unemployment when the pandemic hit, and since then, she’s been trying to find ways to pay her bills. According to KCTV, Ridgnal applied to a federal stimulus program the state of Kansas provides to help residents pay their rent. But when she tried to pay her rent using the stimulus money, she says her property manager wouldn’t accept it.

“He said it’s too many strings attached,” Ridgnal said. “What are the strings attached when you’re getting free money?” The local news outlet KMBC 9 says it reached out to the property manager for comment, but they were told the manager was off for the federal holiday. According to Rent Zero Kansas, landlords can arbitrarily deny someone who receives rental assistance.

The federal eviction moratorium is scheduled for July 31. “We’re definitely hearing a lot about people having difficulties with rental assistance applications,” said Vince Munoz, an organizer with Rent Zero Kansas. People’s inability to pay their rent has happened across Kansas, Munoz says. “Landlords can arbitrarily deny rental assistance for whatever reason they want with no justification,” Munoz said.