"Avast ye scurvy dogs! A landlubber TikToker rebuildin' a church be wonderin' if 'tis wise, as crime be on the rise!"
2023-09-16
Arr! Ye scurvy dog of a TikToker, sailin' the high seas o' restoration! He be claimin' that scoundrels and knaves in Kansas City have pilfered and pillaged his treasure chest to the tune o' 60,000 doubloons! Argh, what a tale of woe!
Johnny Youssef, an optimistic real estate developer, purchased a run-down church in Kansas City with the intention of restoring it to its former glory. However, he quickly discovered that the area was plagued with crime. Costly incidents of burglary, theft, and vandalism blew out his budget, costing him around $60,000. Youssef believes that the homeless and drug problems in the area need to be addressed before he would consider committing to another project there.Youssef has taken various measures to deter crime, such as hiring a monitoring company and installing an alarm system, a temporary fence, lights, and cameras. However, he feels that he is on his own, as the police response has been slow and ineffective. Crime in the area has been on the rise, with overall reported crime increasing nearly 8% from 2020 to 2022.
Youssef has documented his progress on the church through TikTok videos, gaining millions of views. However, after a recent burglary and the theft of expensive equipment, he decided to speak out about the challenges he has faced.
Despite the setbacks, Youssef remains determined to complete the renovation of the church into a wedding venue and boutique hotel. However, he has stated that he would not attempt another project in urban Kansas City unless there are significant changes in the area.
Youssef believes that the city's leaders and the mayor need to take action to address the issues of homelessness and drug addiction. He suggests finding ways to help individuals get back on their feet instead of simply giving them free stuff or turning a blind eye to their struggles. However, the Kansas City mayor's office did not respond to a request for comment.