Resident tells council citations and enforcement left him homeless and harassed; requests staff help

At the April 7 meeting of the Roeland Park City Council, resident David Maynard used the public-comment period to describe a years-long dispute with city code enforcement, alleging repeated citations related to water and gas connections and saying enforcement actions had caused him distress and threatened his family’s housing.

Maynard, who provided an address on West 54th Terrace and said the house had been in his family since 1967, said he had previously resolved a water-connection matter in court but continued to receive citations. He told the council that he relied on an alternate water source because of concerns about the safety of the municipal supply at his property, and that he did not use gas appliances at the home. He described the citations as “harassing” and said the pattern of notices had been distressing to his household.

Council members and staff responded by encouraging Maynard to continue working with city staff to seek resolution. City Clerk Kelly Nielsen and City Administrator Keith Moody said staff would remain in contact to work through the codes process and follow up on the citations and any supporting documentation. No formal council vote resulted from the comment period; staff noted that code‑enforcement follow-up is handled administratively and that the resident could pursue legal avenues if he chose.

The comment included broader claims about discriminatory deed language historically used in the area; those remarks were recorded to the public record but the council’s response focused on administrative follow-up rather than adjudication of the broader allegations.

What happens next: staff will continue outreach to Mr. Maynard and staff indicated they would stay in contact; Mr. Maynard said he planned to attend future meetings and consult legal counsel if necessary.