Wichita City Council members have approved an ordinance establishing a fine for landlords who evict tenants in retaliation for complaints on housing conditions.
The ordinance is the result of discussions that have been held with landlord, tenant and business groups over the past couple of years.
Assistant City Manager Troy Anderson said the issue of retaliatory evictions is governed by state law, but the city ordinance provides for an administrative process that is modeled on the city’s anti-discrimination ordinance.
The ordinance provides for a fine against a landlord who is found to have retaliated against a tenant. Council member Brandon Johnson asked to change that portion of the ordinance to provide for a minimum fine of $1,000 with a maximum of $2,500. A judge could determine that a portion of the fine or all of it could go to the tenant for compensation.
The Council vote was 6-1 in favor of the ordinance. Council member Jeff Blubaugh voted no out of concerns that it doesn’t address any damage done by tenants to a property. Council member Brandon Johnson said a majority of the people evicted are low-income or working poor, and they would have trouble with the costs of moving to a new place, while a landlord could hire attorneys.
