Call for Working Class, Pro-Housing Justice Citizens’ Advisory Board Applicants
There are currently four openings for our city’s Citizens Advisory Board (CAB) in search of Springfield citizens to oversee the use of the ¾ tax incentive, also known as the Spring Forward SGF Tax. This is the tax that was previously going to be funnelled into the proposed convention center that Springfieldians voted down twice, meaning we have won back the opportunity to use this funding for its intended purpose of improving our neighborhoods, streets, and parks.
The Moral Impact of Evictions
It did not take long to impress upon me the dire need for Right To Council here in Springfield. Just within 15 minutes of witnessing eviction cases I heard heart breaking stories of loss and struggle. One after another citizens of this town were brought before a judge with no one to help them. No one to explain, negotiate or argue on their behalf.
What is Right to Counsel (RTC)?
This article was originally published in our January 2025 newsletter. It is included again here as a refresher for the topic. Where more recent data is available, Editor's Notes have been added to update the original text. The data referenced in the article is sourced predominantly from the National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel.
Tenant Justice
Sometimes it’s good to start with an introduction, so this is mine. Hi! I’m Squirrel. I joined STUN in mid 2024 amid a point where I was going through extreme change and conflict in my own life.
ROSEWOOD-CEDARWOOD UPDATE: Tenant Union Lawsuit Reaches Court
A year since the announcement of the Rosewood-Cedarwood Tenant Union’s lawsuit against their new property owners for violating the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program and threatening to convert their homes into luxury senior housing, court hearings are underway.
GOTV: Exerting the Power of the People
Get Out The Vote has been organized by STUN leadership with the intent of educating and spreading the word on issues affecting our community, to help empower Springfieldians and remind them that they have the ability to affect change through democratic channels.
WE WON’T BE IGNORED: Convention Center Tax Fails a Second Time after STUN Opposition
This month Springfield voters rejected a bad deal for our city, for a second time. City Council wanted to raise the city’s hotel tax in order to renovate the Springfield Expo Center into a more robust convention center.
DON'T TRUST CONVENTION CENTER TO LIVE UP TO PROMISES - Vote 'No' on Hotel Tax
The people of Springfield have been very clear all along: we don’t trust the convention center to live up to its promises and we don’t want this new tax pushing it forward. That’s what we said at the ballot box in November. That’s what we told the city in their feedback survey after the election. And that’s what I heard at the Town Halls hosted by many of our city council members. I have heard from tenants and homeowners, from Republicans and Democrats and Democratic Socialists, from college students and retired people and everyone in between, and across all their differences these folks agree on one thing: a new convention center won’t solve Springfield’s problems.
Tenant Power Takes Center Stage in New York City
Tenant leaders, organizers, and policy experts from across the country gathered in New York City for the Tenant Power and Policy Conference, hosted by HouseUS and the Center for Racial Justice and Equitable Futures at Cornell University. The convening brought together nationally recognized leaders in the housing justice movement—people rooted in the daily fight for safe, stable homes and committed to building a future where housing is treated as a human right. Among those present were Springfield Tenants Unite leaders Sarah Barnts (they/them) and Rex Ybañez (genderless).
READY TO FIGHT BACK: Emergency Mass Meeting Lays the Groundwork for Resistance
The room was buzzing with energy, protest signs were being handed out at the door, and the message was clear: Missouri voters are tired of being jerked around. This was the scene as Springfield citizens flooded into the Library Center’s Hatch Auditorium for the Fighting for MO Emergency Mass Meeting on the evening of March 18th. The meeting was a collaboration of ten Missouri organizations, and was one of more than half a dozen mass meetings held in cities around the state. At the Springfield event alone more than 300 people were in attendance, making ample use of the recently opened auditorium’s seating.
TRAPPED IN THE SYSTEM: Elvester Kennedy's Fight for Dignity and Housing Justice
Elvester Kennedy spent 30 years as a dedicated chef at the Marriott Hotel in Springfield, Missouri. A man of skill and pride, he crafted meals for countless guests, building a life through hard work and personal responsibility. But today, retired and wheelchair-bound, Elvester is engaged in a different kind of battle — a fight for basic human dignity, safety, and housing rights in a system that seems to have forgotten him.
THE PEOPLE HAVE THEIR SAY: City Council Members Take Questions from Springfield Residents at Town Hall Meeting
City Council members Bruce Adib-Yazdi and Heather Hardinger faced questions regarding Springfield’s housing among other inquiries as the city’s Zone 4 residents met in the gymnasium of Cowden Elementary School on February 24th for a town hall meeting. For two hours the Council members traded off presenting the council’s ongoing plans and answering questions from their assembled constituents. The meeting follows similar Town Hall meetings held by other Council members throughout January and February.
DAY OF ACTION: Tenant Leaders Take Fight for Housing Justice to the Capitol
On February 17th, the hallways of the Missouri Capitol weren't just filled with lobbyists; they were filled with the voices of tenant leaders. Arriving together in a powerful show of unity, members of Springfield Tenants Unite (STUN) and the Columbia Tenants Union (CTU) gathered for a Day of Action to demand safe, truly affordable housing for all.
Creating the People’s Narrative: STUN stands in unity with local social advocacy groups
The Peoples Platform is in full swing, and the influence of Springfield Tenants Unite is undeniable. On January 17th, 2025, advocates joined PROMO, Missouri Jobs with Justice (JwJ), and STUN at Springfield’s south side Library Center. From signing petitions on STUN’s Right to Council Initiative to participating in Sarah Barnts’ group yoga, Springfieldians were offered an opportunity to build community towards the shared goal of equitable policy.
STAND UP, FIGHT BACK: Missouri Voters’ Rally at State Capitol
On the cold morning of January 21st, the grand marble halls of the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City pulsed with energy. By noon, more than a thousand Missourians had surged through its doors, filling the rotunda and chanting in unison, “Stand up! Fight back!” — a slogan that echoed off the soaring pillars and balconies.
Teams Training Event Prepares STUN Leaders for a New Phase of Advocacy
The Springfield activist community is preparing to take another bold step forward after a collaboration this month between STUN and other area organizations. Over the weekend of November 15th and 16th, over 50 leaders from groups such as PROMO and Jobs with Justice joined with leaders from STUN at the Drew Lewis Foundation's Fairbanks Community Hub to hold a two-day summit.
Monumental Win for Springfield Tenants
On Monday, November 3rd, Springfield City Council unanimously voted in support of the Healthy Homes Pilot Program, set to begin March of 2026. This rental inspection program aims to be a first step in STUN’s Healthy Homes Guarantee, requiring landlords to keep units free of pests, mold, and other hazards.
STUN engages with students at OTC’s Advocacy Day
On October 23rd, 2025, the Ekklesia student organization at Ozarks Technical College (OTC) hosted their Advocacy Day event, working to engage students in community-based change in Springfield. Among the voices represented at Advocacy Day were Springfield Tenants Unite (STUN), the Party for Socialism & Liberation (PSL), Greater Springfield Indivisible, and Southwest Missouri Solidarity Network.
Springfield Tenants Unite Pushes for Healthy Homes Guarantee Ahead of Key Vote
On the night of October 20th, leaders, members, and allies of Springfield Tenants Unite (STUN) filled City Council chambers to demand safe, dignified housing for all. The public hearing centered on the proposed rental licensing and inspection pilot program — what tenants call the Healthy Homes Guarantee.