A look back at the TCI New England Regional Gathering and Springfield’s continued work toward housing equity
In April, the Transforming Communities Initiative (TCI) Committee traveled to the Chrysalis Center in Hartford for the TCI New England Regional Gathering. Community members from TCI sites in Springfield, Hartford, and Waterbury came together to share their experiences, reflect on their work, and celebrate how far they have come.
The day began with presentations from each site, highlighting their progress, key learnings, and plans for the future. These presentations sparked meaningful conversations and provided insight into the different ways communities are approaching shared challenges.
Participants also attended a series of engaging workshops. Sessions included “The Future is Speaking,” a youth advocacy activity designed to empower young people to own their narratives and use their voices to create change, and “Sustainability and Partnerships: Keeping the Work Going,” which focused on how organizations can leverage partnerships to sustain and grow their impact over time.
The gathering also made space for wellness and connection. Attendees participated in activities such as sound healing, reiki, hand massage, yoga, and line dancing encouraging us to come together and recharge.
By the end of the day, participants walked away with a stronger understanding of how this work is being carried out across the region, along with new ideas for collaboration and shared learning as TCI continues to evolve.
For the Springfield TCI coalition, the gathering was an opportunity to reflect on a growing body of work centered on housing as a key driver of health and equity. Through deep community engagement and a community-led prioritization process, housing was identified as the most pressing issue impacting residents. Since then, the coalition has advanced policy, systems, and environmental changes to improve housing stability and conditions in the city.
This work is powered by a strong network of partners: Arise for Social Justice, Neighbor to Neighbor, Springfield No One Leaves, and Way Finders who are committed to building community ownership, strengthening trust, and increasing capacity through shared learning and advocacy. Residents continue to play a central role, co-designing outreach efforts, contributing to data analysis, and shaping the coalition’s priorities and direction.
The Springfield coalition has reached several important milestones, including securing multi-year funding through the Massachusetts Community Health and Healthy Aging Grant, supporting the advancement of an Access to Counsel pilot in the state budget, and hosting a housing resource fair that connected over 200 residents with critical services. Advocacy efforts led by Live Well partners have also elevated tenant voices and contributed to broader systems change, including engagement with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office on housing conditions in Springfield.
Looking ahead, the coalition continues to focus on key goals such as advocating for Access to Counsel budget expansion, supporting the development of the Springfield Housing Trust Fund, exploring the need for a tenant support office, and working with partners to improve housing conditions across the city.
As the TCI work moves forward, the relationships strengthened and lessons shared at the regional gathering will help guide Springfield’s next steps in building healthier, more equitable communities.
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