1 in 3 east Jackson County renters report hazards in their homes. Would this fix help?

Peeling paint. Mold and mildew. Water leaks. Broken or missing carbon monoxide detectors.

These are some of the most common problems renters face in the areas of Jackson County outside Kansas City, according to a new comprehensive report from the county’s public health agency.

One in three renters surveyed last year by Jackson County Public Health reported at least one health or safety hazard in their homes.

But only four municipalities out of the 11 in the agency’s jurisdiction — Buckner, Grandview, Raytown and Sugar Creek — require rental units to be inspected for these hazards before they can be rented out to tenants.

Unlike typical health inspections, which require tenants to report hazards and advocate for them to be fixed, proactive rental inspection programs aim to catch issues in rental units — and force property owners to fix them — before they cause serious health problems.

These programs have been shown to improve tenants’ health and help preserve housing stock in communities around the country, the county health department said. They’re also widely supported by Jackson County residents, including around 77% of those surveyed by the agency.

Here’s what to know about proactive inspection programs and how you can get hazardous conditions addressed in your Jackson County rental home.

What health and safety hazards do renters face in Jackson County?

In a survey of hundreds of eastern Jackson County renters conducted last year by Jackson County Public Health, 33% reported at least one health or safety hazard in their homes out of a list of 22 common hazards and an “other” option.

Nearly 200 respondents, or around 12% of those surveyed, reported three or more of these hazards in their rental units.

The most commonly reported issue was a lack of carbon monoxide detection in the home. Detectors were either broken or not present at all.

Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that can build up in poorly ventilated spaces, leading to over 400 deaths in the U.S. every year. The gas is colorless and odorless, making detectors a vital safety measure.

Other common issues in Jackson County rentals include mold and mildew, which can lead to asthma and respiratory problems, and peeling or chipping paint, which can cause harmful lead exposure. Other hazards ranged from broken windows and inadequate heat during the wintertime to broken locks, insect or rodent infestations and exposed electrical wiring.

The survey did not include Jackson County renters within Kansas City or Independence city limits because these cities have their own health departments.

What impacts do proactive rental inspections have in Jackson County?

The four municipalities that proactively inspect rental units for health and safety hazards report a positive impact for tenants and landlords alike.

“Instead of waiting until housing units deteriorate and become uninhabitable, PRI programs help preserve the existing housing stock by keeping conditions safe and healthy,” the report states.

Buckner, Grandview, Raytown and Sugar Creek require units to be inspected either between each tenant, every two years or both. Buckner requires property owners to hire third-party inspectors, while the other three municipalities employ inspectors — property owners pay the city for inspections, helping to fund the positions.

If units don’t meet city health and safety codes, property owners are required to bring them up to code before they can continue to rent them out.

“We have discovered through rental inspections, properties that were substandard … that have been rehabbed and now revitalized some of our neighborhoods,” a Sugar Creek representative told county researchers.

“A number of properties that have sat vacant have been purchased and rehabbed and now provide safe, attractive and compliant housing.”

Which parts of Jackson County are most in need of proactive rental inspections?

According to the county’s community health assessment conducted last year, 21% of renters in eastern Jackson County live in units with health and safety hazards that could be addressed using a proactive inspection program.

Currently, just under 11,000 rental units outside Kansas City and Independence are subject to proactive inspections. That leaves around 20,000 more units in municipalities that don’t require them — mostly in Lee’s Summit and Blue Springs.

If just these two municipalities adopted proactive rental inspection programs, the number of units covered would more than double to around 25,900. That’s around 83% of all the rental units in eastern Jackson County outside of Kansas City and Independence.

Support for these programs is extremely high in both cities: More than 80% of residents surveyed in Lee’s Summit and 79% of those surveyed in Blue Springs were in favor of proactive rental inspections.

These programs aren’t just successful in small municipalities. The report notes that Rochester, New York, implemented proactive inspections for lead paint in 2005, and found a decrease in blood lead levels among affected renters as a result. With more than 200,000 residents, Rochester has around twice the population of Lee’s Summit.

What should I do about health hazards in my KC or Independence rental?

Rental units are required under Missouri law to be safe and habitable, and landlords must make repairs related to regular wear and tear on units.

In Kansas City, the Healthy Homes program allows tenants to notify city inspectors of unsafe conditions in their rental units. The program can then intervene to force landlords to fix the hazardous conditions. You can contact Healthy Homes by calling 816-513-6464.

Independence has a program called Rental Ready that requires rental properties to pass a basic health and safety inspection done by a third-party company every two years. Tenants can report unhealthy living conditions using the city’s Landlord Tenant Complaint Form.

Contact your municipality’s neighborhood services or code enforcement department for more information about reporting unhealthy or hazardous living conditions in your rented home.

Do you have more questions about tenants’ rights in the Kansas City area? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.