A local non-profit dedicated to affordable housing and combatting homelessness said it is “thoroughly reviewing” concerns raised last week after a fire at a property formerly owned by two members of its board of directors.Restart, Inc. released a statement on social media Friday evening saying its board was made aware of the fire in Kansas City’s historic Northeast neighborhood.The fire knocked out heat and utilities for several days to a group of mainly Burmese refugees living in an apartment complex along North Lawn Avenue. The property formerly owned by FTW Investments was sold last week according to Jackson County property records. PREVIOUS REPORTINGResidents in northeast KC apartments go days without heatHeat, electricity slowly returning to KC apartments, but problems remainCity records show at least 18 calls to 311 about the property address since December 2021, including complaints about trash overflowing and people getting into the building illegally.FTW Investments partners Parker Webb and Logan Freeman hold positions on the board of Restart. Local tenants rights group KC Tenants called for their removal from the board last week citing conditions at the property.Last week, when asked if Webb and Freeman would resign from the Restart board of directors spokesman Mike Hardin said in an emailed statement “They have no intention of ceasing their efforts to help end homelessness in Kansas City.” Hardin, in an updated statement released Tuesday reiterated someone who did not legally belong on site “managed to break-in, start a fire, and endanger the lives and well being of all of the residents in the building.”Hardin said FTW worked with the city to provide housing options and food to residents, and continues to pay for one resident’s housing, food, and transportation, even though they no longer own the property.“The pattern of break-ins and fires in the Northeast is not a new problem, but at every step of the way FTW has worked to correct issues with properties as quickly as they are identified, and will continue to do so,” Hardin said in a statement.KMBC 9 Investigates will continue to work with city officials, including the Kansas City, Missouri Healthy Homes Rental Inspection Program. If you have any complaints about apartments, you can contact the Healthy Homes program at 816-513-6464.
A local non-profit dedicated to affordable housing and combatting homelessness said it is “thoroughly reviewing” concerns raised last week after a fire at a property formerly owned by two members of its board of directors.
Restart, Inc. released a statement on social media Friday evening saying its board was made aware of the fire in Kansas City’s historic Northeast neighborhood.
The fire knocked out heat and utilities for several days to a group of mainly Burmese refugees living in an apartment complex along North Lawn Avenue. The property formerly owned by FTW Investments was sold last week according to Jackson County property records.
PREVIOUS REPORTING
City records show at least 18 calls to 311 about the property address since December 2021, including complaints about trash overflowing and people getting into the building illegally.
FTW Investments partners Parker Webb and Logan Freeman hold positions on the board of Restart. Local tenants rights group KC Tenants called for their removal from the board last week citing conditions at the property.
Last week, when asked if Webb and Freeman would resign from the Restart board of directors spokesman Mike Hardin said in an emailed statement “They have no intention of ceasing their efforts to help end homelessness in Kansas City.”
Hardin, in an updated statement released Tuesday reiterated someone who did not legally belong on site “managed to break-in, start a fire, and endanger the lives and well being of all of the residents in the building.”
Hardin said FTW worked with the city to provide housing options and food to residents, and continues to pay for one resident’s housing, food, and transportation, even though they no longer own the property.
“The pattern of break-ins and fires in the Northeast is not a new problem, but at every step of the way FTW has worked to correct issues with properties as quickly as they are identified, and will continue to do so,” Hardin said in a statement.
KMBC 9 Investigates will continue to work with city officials, including the Kansas City, Missouri Healthy Homes Rental Inspection Program. If you have any complaints about apartments, you can contact the Healthy Homes program at 816-513-6464.