Tenants continue to demand meeting after approval of Independence Towers sale

A tenants’ union in Kansas City continues to demand a meeting with the new owner of Independence Towers after a judge approved the building’s sale.
Published: Apr. 25, 2025 at 8:31 PM CDT
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A tenants’ union in Kansas City continues to demand a meeting with the new owner of Independence Towers after a judge approved the building’s sale.

KC Tenants announced on Friday, April 25, that Judge Charles McKenzie ordered the authorization of the sale of Independence Towers to PG Independence Tower LLC for $2.8 million.

Organization leaders noted that the building, which was formerly owned by Trigild Inc., the court-appointed receiver for property, will now be under the control of an entity tied to an Illinois-based company, Dynasty Properties Inc., owned by Vijai Ponnezhan.

Tenants in the Independence Towers Union have been on rent strike for nearly 7 months - the longest in regional history. They are prepared to end the strike, however, they need Ponnezhan to bargain a fair lease agreement with them first.

Tenants told Judge McKenzie that issues at the building persist, as outlined in the Independence Towers Tenant Union report, before a case management hearing last week.

Organization leaders said they hope to end the strike with an established and good working relationship with the new owner based on mutual respect and cooperation. They reiterated that they need Ponnezhan to commit to meeting and bargaining a fair lease agreement.

We formed the Independence Towers Tenant Union to stand up against treatment that can only be described as dangerous and inhumane. We are a community, and Independence Towers is our home. We came together after a fire to distribute bottled water and ensure our neighbors were safe. We organized donations for our fellow union when their baby fell and died from a broken window our landlord refused to fix. We have held community barbecues, hosted chili cookoffs, fixed one another’s flat tires, and borrowed cups of sugar. Vijai Ponnezhan now has the opportunity to end the cycle of neglect toward Independence Towers by meeting with our union and establishing a mutually cooperative relationship.

Independence Towers Tenant Union
On Friday, the tenants’ union at Independence Tower held a rally, inviting the complex’s...
On Friday, the tenants’ union at Independence Tower held a rally, inviting the complex’s potential new owner to speak with them ahead of a hearing set for later this month.(KCTV5/Chandler Watkins)