Residents face eviction after Kennett housing crisis

KENNETT, Mo. (KBSI) –A Kennett pastor is speaking out after tenants say they are facing a housing crisis.

Imagine waking up in a home that you rent to the utilities, being completely shut off, and then you go to your front door and there’s a red note saying that the home that you’ve been renting is not up to code.

This is a very real situation for tenants in the Kennett area and Kennett Pastor Dinah Tatman says she is stepping in. 

“These properties are not up to code. They haven’t been for years” says Tatman.

Dinah Tatman, is the Pastor of St. John AME church in Kennett. According to Tatman more than 150 people in Kennett could possibly lose utilities and face homelessness due to renting a house that the city is deeming unlivable.

Tatman is encouraging any tenants in the Dunklin County or Kennett area that may be experiencing this to attend a meeting at the St. John AME church for help.

“Any tenant that’s living in a house that you know is uninhabitable, but you didn’t have a choice. Come to the meeting. We have resources, information and advocates that will help you, file your papers. Teach you what your rights are, what your next steps that you can take to make sure that you are protected” says Tatman.

Ashley Hill and her other family members are some of the tenant’s facing homelessness.

“We woke up, on, I think the 26th or 27th, and our power was off and when we contacted him, he said that it was cut off because the city put an ordinance on it, because his house is wasn’t up to code, and he wouldn’t be turning it on and that we had to vacate the property. So we’ve been staying in hotels, which is very expensive considering we’re disabled and were in this kind of in a hardship.” 

Hill says they contacted the city who said they will not turn utilities back on at a home that isn’t up to code.

According to hill she then contacted her landlord who said they weren’t planning on fixing anything at this time. 

“City said they’re not going to put the lights back on. So, we can’t live here with no electric and water” says Hill.

Tatman says she was asked by a councilman to step in and help so now she’s asking all the questions she says should’ve been asked years ago.

“City says like gas and water says we have to because it’s a safety hazard. Yeah, we get that but it’s been a safety hazard. The landlord has collected rent since May $5800 dollars. So, it didn’t just become a safety issue” says Tatman.

Tatman is attending city council meetings, spreading awareness and spent the day today going to homes and seeing what tenants have been affected, when I asked her what motivated her to this she simply says her faith.

“Tenant of my faith is to treat your neighbor as you would yourself. Or love your neighbor as yourself. One of the teachings is for the least of these which you do unto me you’ve done to them, those who don’t have a voice. Those who are strong become the advocate for the weak. And they need an advocate.” 

Meeting information: Wednesday, September 3, 2025 6:00 PM

Location: St. John AME Church, 324 W. Commercial St., Kennett, MO 63857

Kennett City Council held a council meeting on September 2, 2025 where they agreed to hear from a tenant’s right union and tenants’ rights advocate on the current issue.

The Kennett City Council meets at 6:30 pm on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 6:30 pm at the Kennett City Hall. All are encouraged to attend.