CHASE CASTOR

KC Tenants Zero Evictions January Actions. Chase Castor/The Pitch
KC Tenants Zero Evictions January Actions. Chase Castor/The Pitch
Sakina Cooper and her baby in front of a plastic sheet blocking off their apartment’s dining room. A major leak had developed and mold was discovered on a vent. Sakina contacted the KC Tenants Hotline for help. Photo by Chase Castor
Sakina Cooper and her baby in front of a plastic sheet blocking off their apartment’s dining room. A major leak had developed and mold was discovered on a vent. Sakina contacted the KC Tenants Hotline for help. Photo by Chase Castor
The destroyed ceiling due to water damage in Sakina Cooper’s dining room. The apartment had a major leak in the dining room and had to be blocked off from the rest of the unit. Photo by Chase Castor
The destroyed ceiling due to water damage in Sakina Cooper’s dining room. The apartment had a major leak in the dining room and had to be blocked off from the rest of the unit. Photo by Chase Castor
Mold on a vent in Sakina Cooper’s dining room. The apartment had a major leak in the dining room and had to be blocked off from the rest of the unit. Photo by Chase Castor
Mold on a vent in Sakina Cooper’s dining room. The apartment had a major leak in the dining room and had to be blocked off from the rest of the unit. Photo by Chase Castor

I've photographed and reported on housing and tenants' rights group, KC Tenants since Kansas City passed The Tenants' Bill of Rights the organization fought for in 2019. Since then I've documented tenants facing slum conditions because of neglectful landlords and property managers for a photo essay called Maintenance Request. 

During the pandemic I followed KC Tenants as they fought to cease pandemic evictions in Kansas City. 

The group has grown and now helps tenants form unions all over the city. They help elevate tenants concerns and fight a one-sided eviction system. 

Cancel Rent protesters march from the Missouri State Capitol to the Governor's Mansion to place an eviction notice on the front gates. Photo by Chase Castor
Cancel Rent protesters march from the Missouri State Capitol to the Governor's Mansion to place an eviction notice on the front gates. Photo by Chase Castor
Jenay Manley is removed from the courtroom after disrupting an eviction hearing at the Jackson County Courthouse in Kansas City, Missouri, U.S., on Thursday, July 30, 2020. KC Tenants activist also flooded the virtual court hearings with calls, according
Jenay Manley is removed from the courtroom after disrupting an eviction hearing at the Jackson County Courthouse in Kansas City, Missouri, U.S., on Thursday, July 30, 2020. KC Tenants activist also flooded the virtual court hearings with calls, according to KC Tenants’ the virtual eviction hearings were shut down as a result. Photographer: Castor Chase/Bloomberg
Maya Neal is removed from the courtroom after disrupting an eviction hearing at the Jackson County Courthouse in Kansas City, Missouri, U.S., on Thursday, July 30, 2020. Photographer: Castor Chase/Bloomberg
Maya Neal is removed from the courtroom after disrupting an eviction hearing at the Jackson County Courthouse in Kansas City, Missouri, U.S., on Thursday, July 30, 2020. Photographer: Castor Chase/Bloomberg Maya Neal is removed from the courtroom after disrupting an eviction hearing at the Jackson County Courthouse in Kansas City, Missouri, U.S., on Thursday, July 30, 2020. Photographer: Castor Chase/Bloomberg
Jenay Manley, on the steps of KC, MO City Hall, told some of her story and demanded Kansas City, MO government to follow through on the ordinance and resolution passed in December 2019.
Jenay Manley, on the steps of KC, MO City Hall, told some of her story and demanded Kansas City, MO government to follow through on the ordinance and resolution passed in December 2019.
KC Tenants members celebrate in the Kansas City, MO City Council Champers after the council passed legislation creating the Tenants Bill of Rights which was written by KC Tenants. Photo by Chase Castor
KC Tenants members celebrate in the Kansas City, MO City Council Champers after the council passed legislation creating the Tenants Bill of Rights which was written by KC Tenants. Photo by Chase Castor
Courtney Biber and her son before the KC Tenants Cancel Rent protest at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City, Missouri. Courtney is from Springfield, Missouri, and is a birth doula who can't work because of the pandemic. To make May rent, they've
Courtney Biber and her son before the KC Tenants Cancel Rent protest at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City, Missouri. Courtney is from Springfield, Missouri, and is a birth doula who can't work because of the pandemic. To make May rent, they've cut back on groceries, subscription services, and they've shut off their internet. Courtney Biber and her son before the KC Tenants Cancel Rent protest at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City, Missouri. Courtney is from Springfield, Missouri, and is a birth doula who can't work because of the pandemic. To make May rent, they've cut back on groceries, subscription services, and they've shut off their internet.
Tiana Caldwell and her son A.J. before the KC Tenants Cancel Rent protest at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City, Missouri.
Tiana Caldwell and her son A.J. before the KC Tenants Cancel Rent protest at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City, Missouri. Tiana Caldwell and her son A.J. before the KC Tenants Cancel Rent protest at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City, Missouri.
KC Tenants activists blockade an entrance to The Jackson County Courthouse to shut down eviction court proceedings. KC Tenants also disrupted teleconference hearings delaying at least 51 evictions on the morning docket according to KC Tenants.
KC Tenants activists blockade an entrance to The Jackson County Courthouse to shut down eviction court proceedings. KC Tenants also disrupted teleconference hearings delaying at least 51 evictions on the morning docket according to KC Tenants.
All images © 2020 Chase Castor All rights reserved. With express written permission.
All images © 2020 Chase Castor All rights reserved. With express written permission.
Members of tenants rights group KC Tenants stand blocking the doors to the Jackson County Courthouse for the group’s Zero Eviction January; where actions were held agains evictions during a pandemic. Photo by Chase Castor
Members of tenants rights group KC Tenants stand blocking the doors to the Jackson County Courthouse for the group’s Zero Eviction January; where actions were held agains evictions during a pandemic. Photo by Chase Castor
KC Tenants Zero Evictions January Actions. Chase Castor/The Pitch
KC Tenants Zero Evictions January Actions. Chase Castor/The Pitch
JUNE 26, 2021. KC, MO. KC’s Marching Cobras opened the Tenant Reckoning. KC Tenants' Tenant Reckoning at Gabriel Tower apartments where the tenants unionized last year, with KC Tenants' help, to get their A/C turned back on. KC Tenants is asking the cit
JUNE 26, 2021. KC, MO. KC’s Marching Cobras opened the Tenant Reckoning. KC Tenants' Tenant Reckoning at Gabriel Tower apartments where the tenants unionized last year, with KC Tenants' help, to get their A/C turned back on. KC Tenants is asking the city to move funds to create a "People's Housing Trust Fund." Chase Castor//The Beacon
JUNE 26, 2021. KC, MO. Jenay Manley gives a speech with a bullhorn after the PA system cut out. KC Tenants' Tenant Reckoning at Gabriel Tower apartments where the tenants unionized last year, with KC Tenants' help, to get their A/C turned back on. KC T
JUNE 26, 2021. KC, MO. Jenay Manley gives a speech with a bullhorn after the PA system cut out. KC Tenants' Tenant Reckoning at Gabriel Tower apartments where the tenants unionized last year, with KC Tenants' help, to get their A/C turned back on. KC Tenants is asking the city to move funds to create a "People's Housing Trust Fund." Chase Castor//The Beacon
JULY 30, 2021. Kansas City, MO. Sabrina Davis on her front porch. Sabrina is moving from the property because her landlord has neglecting to fix major electrical issues in the home causing high utility bills that Sabrina is responsible for. Chase Castor f
JULY 30, 2021. Kansas City, MO. Sabrina Davis on her front porch. Sabrina is moving from the property because her landlord has neglecting to fix major electrical issues in the home causing high utility bills that Sabrina is responsible for. Chase Castor for Resolve Magazine. JULY 30, 2021. Kansas City, MO. Sabrina Davis on her front porch. Sabrina is moving from the property because her landlord has neglecting to fix major electrical issues in the home causing high utility bills that Sabrina is responsible for. Chase Castor for Resolve Magazine.
JULY 31, 2021. Kansas City, MO. Sabrina Davis shows her breaker box, a piece of the electrical problems she believes have led to abnormally high utility bills. Chase Castor for Resolve Magazine.
JULY 31, 2021. Kansas City, MO. Sabrina Davis shows her breaker box, a piece of the electrical problems she believes have led to abnormally high utility bills. Chase Castor for Resolve Magazine.
JULY 31, 2021. Kansas City, MO. Tony and Jeremiah Davis load Sabrina’s things to be taken to storage. Chase Castor for Resolve Magazine.
JULY 31, 2021. Kansas City, MO. Tony and Jeremiah Davis load Sabrina’s things to be taken to storage. Chase Castor for Resolve Magazine. JULY 31, 2021. Kansas City, MO. Tony and Jeremiah Davis load Sabrina’s things to be taken to storage. Chase Castor for Resolve Magazine.
JULY 31, 2021. Kansas City, MO. Chase Castor for Resolve Magazine.
JULY 31, 2021. Kansas City, MO. Chase Castor for Resolve Magazine. JULY 31, 2021. Kansas City, MO. Chase Castor for Resolve Magazine.
JULY 31, 2021. Kansas City, MO. The storage facility where Sabrina Davis is storing her belongings. Sabrina is moving from her rental home after the landlord refused to repair an electrical issue resulting in high utility bills that Sabrina was responsibl
JULY 31, 2021. Kansas City, MO. The storage facility where Sabrina Davis is storing her belongings. Sabrina is moving from her rental home after the landlord refused to repair an electrical issue resulting in high utility bills that Sabrina was responsible for. Chase Castor for Resolve Magazine.
JULY 31, 2021. Kansas City, MO. Tony opens up Sabrina Davis’ storage unit. Chase Castor for Resolve Magazine.
JULY 31, 2021. Kansas City, MO. Tony opens up Sabrina Davis’ storage unit. Chase Castor for Resolve Magazine.
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