Kansas City Land Bank chair departs amid oversight failures

The Kansas City Land Bank board of directors will vote to approve a replacement for interim chair Julie Anderson this week.

A Kansas City Beacon investigation last month revealed that Anderson, a local attorney, represented a Land Bank buyer in court multiple times. Anderson did not disclose the professional relationship to the City Clerk’s office when filling out conflicts of interest disclosure forms.

A 2016 appointee by former Mayor Sly James, Anderson’s term technically expired in 2020 — commissioners serve four-year terms. She left the board on Monday, according to Commissioner Brandon Gumm. Anderson declined multiple requests for interviews.

Discussions about removing Anderson first began in June. Mayor Quinton Lucas told The Beacon last week he was committed to appointing a replacement, but would not provide a timetable for when the change would occur. Housing advocacy group KC Tenants has argued Anderson’s role as an eviction attorney undermined her ability to lead an organization tasked with affordable housing solutions.

Read more: https://thebeacon.media/stories/2021/11/03/kansas-city-land-bank-chair-departs/