Speakers at Topeka meeting press council on rent control, allege police misconduct and urge local-hiring in housing deals
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Summary
During public comment, residents urged the council to adopt rent control measures, Dr. Justin Spies described pending civil-rights litigation against city police officers, and a community member urged negotiators to require local-hiring and apprenticeship commitments in large affordable-housing projects.
Several members of the public used the Feb. 10 comment period to press the Topeka governing body on housing policy, police conduct and local benefits from development deals.
James Bolden urged the council to implement or strengthen rent control, saying rising rents are "forcing out" long-time residents and stressing that rent limits should be paired with policies to spur affordable housing production and support people experiencing housing insecurity. Bolden framed rent control as "a lifeline for families" and asked the council to consider tenant stability alongside developer incentives.
Dr. Justin Spies, who identified himself as a doctor, described an August'September 2025 sequence in which he said he was unlawfully removed from the Topeka library and later unlawfully detained at the police station. He told the council he has filed civil-rights suits naming multiple officers and the City and read portions of counts from his complaint. "On 08/30/2025, I was unlawfully removed and unlawfully criminally trespassed from the Topeka Library by the Topeka Police Department," Spies said; he emphasized the matters are the subject of pending litigation.
During a separate action-item discussion on a partial development assignment, public commenter Danielle Twemwell raised transparency and legal-registration concerns about a purchasing entity; she said she found a state filing indicating the entity forfeited its Kansas registration on 07/15/2024 and cited KSA 17-7-901 as a statutory standard requiring registration for foreign businesses doing business in Kansas.
Luzon Grays urged council negotiators to ask standardized questions during large affordable-housing negotiations to ensure local jobs, training, apprenticeships and contracting opportunities flow to Topeka residents when outside developers build projects. Grays said asking such questions would clarify "what is this gonna do in the bigger picture for the community" and suggested the council adopt a regular checklist or motion to require those inquiries.
Council members acknowledged the comments and a council member asked staff to produce a memo clarifying the legal limits and options for rental policy so the governing body can consider statutory constraints before pursuing changes.