Dorri Partain
Managing Editor

Following a tenant rally held May 13, negotiations with an out-of-town landlord looked hopeful until promises were broken– now eight tenant members of the North Lawn Tenant Union are seeking damages in a lawsuit filed last week.

The rally, held on the lawn of a multi-family apartment complex on the 100 North block of Lawn Ave., asked property owner, Yisroel Levovitz of Wiser KC LLC, to come to the bargaining table to address ongoing maintenance issues and unstable rental agreements.  According to the City’s property records database, this Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) is based in Lakewood, New Jersey.

Levovitz arrived on June 11 to meet with leaders of this tenant union and leaders with KC Tenants—a citywide tenant union led by a multigenerational, multiracial, anti-racist base of poor and working class tenants—- and initially agreed to make repairs needed to bring properties up to code, provide new window air-conditioning units, and ensure utility service continuity. These agreed upon issues were planned to take effect immediately but after two weeks, Levovitz contacted the tenant union with an alternate plan.

According to a June 30 press release from KC Tenants, Levovitz stated on June 25 that “the repairs required will take substantially longer than residents should reasonably be expected to endure. As a result, ownership has made the decision to work directly with residents on individualized relocation plans rather than requiring them to wait through an extended repair and reconstruction process.”

In response, the North Lawn Tenant Union filed 20 complaints to the City’s Healthy Homes department, citing 180 maintenance issues including sewage in the basement, no heat, a lack of basic appliances like refrigerators and stoves, electrical outages, black mold, rampant pest infestations, unsecured entries and more, that tenants have battled continuously.

On Monday, June 29, Dr. Marvia Jones, Director of the Kansas City Health Dept. visited the site with a team of Healthy Homes inspectors to follow up the mass filing of complaints.

“Healthy Homes showed up at my door this Monday and brought the property manager’s maintenance man with them,” said Rochelle Lee, a leader with the North Lawn Tenant Union, in a press release. “That was the first time I had seen the maintenance man in the three years I’ve lived here.”

Long-time tenants have stated repeatedly they report maintenance issues but end up fixing it themselves.

 “I’ve been on dialysis for seven years. I go to the hospital three times a week, and I need rest,” said Artemio Barrera, a leader with the North Lawn Tenant Union, in a press release.

“But for years I’ve had to be my own maintenance man. I’ve installed boards to keep rats from chewing through my walls and fixed leaks in my upstairs neighbor’s apartment. You name it, I’ve fixed it.” 

On Thursday, July 2, eight tenants living in the Burge 12-plex at 135-137 N. Lawn filed individual lawsuits against Wiser KC LLC, claiming that  Levovitz is in violation of the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act, having engaged in unconscionable business practices and has failed to maintain safe housing while continuing to collect rent. Based on negotiations dating to April 2023, eight tenants living in the Burge building received rent assistance and paid $400 per month, with the remainder of their rent subsidized through City-provided funds.

Jaden Powell, attorney and founder of the Goldmine Law Project, is representing these North Lawn tenants. 

“The tenants at North Lawn are part of the fabric of the Historic Northeast community,” stated Powell in a press release. “They have endured unsafe living conditions and broken promises from Yisroel Levovitz for too long. We will continue to do everything we can to protect their rights as tenants and consumers.” 

These lawsuits were filed in the 16th Circuit Court of Missouri. 

According to information provided by KC Tenants, Levovitz purchased these North Lawn buildings in January 2023 for $2.4 million ($2 million loan from Coventus) and acquired a

cash-out refinance on 118-148 N. Lawn in 2025 ($3.7 million loan from Kansas State Bank).

All Wiser KC LLC properties have been listed for sale since May, including additional properties in Northeast: 101 N. Indiana and 3502 Roberts avenues. Both properties are vacant.

The North Lawn Tenants Union includes residents at Abington Court (118-132 N. Lawn) and Gladstone Court (132-148).  Of the 60 units available among the three buildings, nearly more than half are vacant, with units addressed 146-148 N. Lawn condemned, according to information provided by KC Tenants. A majority of these tenants are immigrants from Mexico and Burma, and have found a home in a multi-lingual community.

“I have lived at North Lawn for 15 years. I’m not going anywhere,” said Su Ban, leader with North Lawn Tenant Union and one of the tenants suing Levovitz. “This is my community, and I’m fighting to make sure North Lawn stands for a long time.”

These lawsuits are the first step in the union’s legal strategy, according to Mary Allison Joseph, spokesperson with KC Tenants and the North Lawn Tenants Union. Additionally, both unions continue to work with members of the City Council for continued rental assistance and possible receivership of the apartment complex.

For Northeast News coverage of the May 13 rally, visit: