We have been sharing information about the Proposed Rental Ready Program for Independence Missouri and have received information from quite a few sources that we wanted to share with you:

To learn more about the program, you can access recordings of the City Council Meeting Online at http://www.ci.independence.mo.us/City7/VideoEvents  (thanks to Matt Roberds for this information)

• Video: http://www.ci.independence.mo.us/city7/citycouncilvideo?id=174354692  The study session
  (after the regular meeting) that includes the Rental Ready discussion
  starts at about 47 minutes 25 seconds. 
• Audio: http://www.ci.independence.mo.us/UserDocs/Podcasts/CityCouncil/20160711%20-%20236.mp3  ( the Rental Ready discussion starts at 23 minutes 35 seconds)

Phil Thatcher, the President of Landlords Association of Eastern Jackson County (LAEJC) has been approved to be a speaker at the City Council Meeting on September 6^th.  He will have points of opposition to present on behalf of LAEJC, MAREI, and KC Landlords Inc.  This meeting will be held at 6 pm at the Independence City Hall located at 111 East Maple, which is the corner of Noland Road and Truman Road.

We would like to provide a united front, so be sure to reach out to Phil at by clicking here to learn how you can help and to share your concerns.

Speakers Wanted for the City Council Meeting:  Karen DeLuccie with the Independence City Council is working to get rules suspended so those who wish to speak about this matter have a chance to do so.  In order for you to address council on Sept. 6, you must call the city clerk's office (call 325-7000.  A recording will come on and you say "City Clerk".  You will be connected to her office.).  Tell the clerk that you wish to address the council on Sept. 6 on the "rental ready" issue.  She will put you down to speak.  You must sign up to speak by noon on Sept 2nd 2016, which is the Friday before the council meeting. (Thanks to Fred McGary with the Canmore Group for sharing this information.)

Key Talking Points

Landlord Marsha Grosman from Ohio whose own landlord and real estate group is fighting similar issues has also shared some key points we might want to work into our presentations on the 6^th or in letters sent to City Council Members.

• This egregious violation of the residents' (tenants) rights and government interference with the business of residential rentals have long-term unintended consequences. As the more qualified residents move out of Independence because of this violation, rental property owners will be forced to lower their standards to keep their properties filled. It will only be a matter of time when the more responsible owners throw in the towel and dump their properties. New owners will milk the properties as long as they can, then walk away from them. This happened in her other cities, Dayton Ohio for example.

• The Real Estate Investor and Landlord Groups in the Kansas City Metro would like to be part of the solution. Rather than inspections and licensing, utilize current codes that are already on the books for run down housing that apply to all property owners, not just landlords and for those landlord owners who seem to have problems with their properties all the time – let’s get them some mandatory training.  Our Groups have training that can benefit the problem landlords and Mid-America Crime Free has an 8 hour class to help cut down on crime in rental properties.  Work with us to make some of this training Mandatory for all problem landlords as we suggest it ourselves to our members who are new and need to learn how to be good landlords.

• This is a "tenant tax"--if not, why doesn't the city have the same concern for the houses owned by the folks that live in the houses. While not charging the tenants directly, the time spent and costs associated with the inspections and licensing will be passed on to the tenants in the form of higher rent.

• You are saying that tenants are second class citizens. Why do you think it's appropriate that you have the "right" to force us to inspect a tenant's home even when there is no indication anything is wrong, when the rundown owner occupied property next door or down the street that are not inspected.

• Mandatory Interior Inspections performed by the city on rental property is a violation of the Fourth Amendment – The Tenants and all Property owners have the right to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probably cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. This new rule requiring the landlord to hire an inspector and force their way into a tenants home for inspections is just an attempted by the city to get around our Fourth Amendment rights.

• Interior Rental Inspections have been found to be a violation of the 4^th Amendment in Federal Court: Click for this case

• From the Pacific Legal Foundation “Earlier this week we posted about a California city performing warrantless searchesunder the guise of  rental inspections, now Forbes is reporting that the Institute for Justice is also raising the alarm about the Fourth Amendment rights of renters.  The article points out, due in part to a nearly 50-year old Supreme Court decision, cities and towns across America are literally snooping on renters without having to obtain warrants.  This is a dangerous slippery-slope that needs to be monitored and properly addressed.  Groups such as the Institute for Justice and the Pacific Legal Foundation are taking up the fight.

• Do any of the city council members want their rights violated by some third party mandated by the city inspecting their homes every 2 years?

• What is to keep these inspectors honest?

• Why are the owner occupied houses being ignored, if landlords have to inspect homes and provide a copy of the inspection to the city to prove the home is safe to live in, all owner occupied homes should have to have their own homes inspected and provide a copy to the city and if their home is not in livable condition, then they need to move out until the necessary repairs can be made and the home reinspected.

Marsha also supplied us with some sample handouts to share information with other landlords and with the tenants who are also greatly affected by this proposed program.

Download Handout:  https://www.dropbox.com/s/rjlfj6zqsahuuzt/WC%20Public%20Hearing%20Handout%20%283%29.docx?dl=0

We urge all property owners in Indpendence to reach out to their city council and to attend the September 6^th Meeting.

Contact the Independence City Council:

Mayor Eileen Weir's Information
Phone: 816.325.7027
Fax: 816.325.7012
E-mail: EWeir@indepmo.org
Twitter: twitter.com/WeirIndep4

John Perkins
Phone: 816.325.7022
Fax: 816.325.7012
E-mail: JPerkins@indepmo.org

Curt Dougherty
Phone: 816.269.2565
Fax: 816.325.7012
E-mail: CDougherty@indepmo.org

Scott Roberson
Phone: 816.325.7022
Fax: 816.325.7012
E-mail: SRoberson@indepmo.org

Tom Van Camp
Phone: 816.305.3092
Fax: 816.325.7012
E-mail: TVanCamp@indepmo.org 

Chris Whiting
Phone: 816.365.1158
Fax: 816.325.7012
E-mail: CWhiting@indepmo.org
Twitter: twitter.com/CMChrisWhiting 

Karen DeLuccie
Phone: 816.325.7022
Fax: 816.325.7012
E-mail: KDeLuccie@indepmo.org