For two years, rental costs have jumped to new highs, and as inflation now chips away at affordability for everyday goods and spiking mortgage rates push prospective buyers into an already crowded pool of competing renters, additional price hikes are being met with resistance nationwide. Tenants’ rights activism is sparking a rent revolution in which residents of some pricey metros are protesting and lobbying to push for new tenant-friendly laws, but despite some effective changes, most concerns are falling on deaf ears, according to The New York Times.
Rent is still rising at a record clip in metros like Kansas City, where high-end condos and apartments are on the rise while low-income housing is dwindling, and Missouri isn’t the only state where a housing affordability crisis is forcing renters to fight back.
KC Tenants is one result. Pairing aggressive protests with traditional lobbying, the group exploded onto the political scene during the pandemic and has since become instrumental in passing tenant-friendly laws like an ordinance that gives renters a lawyer during eviction proceedings. It has also left a trail of embittered opponents who find the group’s tactics, such as protesting outside judges’ homes, ill-suited to what many residents describe as a cordial Midwestern town.
Advertisement
Related Stories
Affordability
How Much Must American Renters Earn to Afford Average Rental Prices?
US rents have increased 3.6% year-over-year, pushing the amount renters must earn to afford average rents to around $80K
Build to Rent
Build-to-Rent Is Booming, Particularly in These Metros
A recent report finds that the Phoenix metro leads with more than 4,000 build-to-rent units completed in 2023, and Texas is the leading state for build-to-rent development
Sales + Marketing Trends
Brand Loyalty and Why Builders Should Think Like a Hospitality Brand
Whether its offering that personal touch or incorporating experiences into amenity use, home builders have something to learn from the hospitality industry