Kansas City Health Department closes U-Haul location following mask violation

The health department issued a suspension of occupancy for a metro U-Haul store on Tuesday following two complaints that employees and customers were not wearing masks.

On Tuesday, the Kansas City Health Department closed a U-Haul location in the metro after reported complaints that employees and customers were not following the Kansas City, Mo. mask order.

Following two complaints made, the health department visited the location, afterward choosing to suspend its certificate of occupancy.

“We have enforced Mayor Quinton Lucas’ Emergency Order and suspended their certificate of occupancy,” a tweet from the KCMO Health Department said.

The department cited a letter that was sent to the business which said, “this establishment is in direct violation of Kansas City, Missouri State of Emergency, Section 50-155 of the City’s Charter. Section 2-B of the Mayor’s Tenth Amended Order 20-01 mandates that all employees or visitors to any indoor public accommodation must properly wear a face covering or mask.”

Under the current order, the U-Haul location cannot appeal the decision by the department, which has said will be closed until further notice.

“We worked closely with the City Planning and Development on this decision. We will be scheduling a meeting with U-Haul management to discuss a corrective action plan and compliance with the mayor’s order,” the department said.

Naser Jouhari, the health department’s environmental health services division manager, has said that the few complaints toward U-Haul are among 2,500 total complaints the department has received since the mask order was first issued in Kansas City, Mo. back in March.

With the mask order extended until next year, Jan. 2021, businesses across the city are likely to endure more reported complaints and check-ins from the health department.