21 June 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – Local leaders are taking action to hold corporate and individual landlords across the city accountable.
On Wednesday, members of Topeka’s Public Safety and Health Committee voted to move forward on action they hope will better protect Topeka tenants. The proposed ordinance would prevent a tenant, in good standing, from being evicted for alerting a landlord or government agency about health and safety complaints.
It would give tenants the option to fight their landlords without fear of eviction. Topeka has roughly 560,000 housing units, and 40% of those units are rentals.
Karen Hiller, District 1 Councilwoman says it’s important that all rental properties are up to code, and that work starts with the landlords.
“Our property maintenance code is a performance code,” Hiller said. “It’s not really specific about how the water has to get to the tap, it’s just that when you turn the cold you should get cold and when you turn hot, you should get hot.”
The proposal will now go to the Topeka City Council for a vote.