In Springfield, Missouri, senior and disabled tenants at one Millennia affordable housing building say they’ve gone about a year without a working elevator, but their organizing has gotten the city to threaten receivership if it's not fixed soon.
Tenants at Jenny Lind Hall, a federally subsidized apartment building in Springfield, Missouri, have faced dangerous and neglectful conditions under Millennia Housing Management — particularly after both elevators failed, leaving residents like wheelchair user Elvester Kennedy stranded for weeks. The building, home to elderly and disabled tenants, has long suffered from issues like mold, bedbugs, and poor accessibility.
Springfield Tenants Unite (STUN), a local tenant union, has been pushing for the city to replace the elevators, hold Millennia accountable, and place the building in receivership. Despite promises of repairs and city notices, meaningful progress has stalled. Tenants have criticized the city for excluding them from decision-making and for not acting fast enough.
STUN has organized volunteer support and is using the Jenny Lind Hall case to advocate for citywide reforms, including rental licensing and regular inspections. Their efforts are part of a broader movement to hold Millennia accountable and improve oversight of subsidized housing nationally.
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