Springfield does not currently have a rental property registration ordinance. ICON has supported such an ordinance from our beginning.
Landlord Licensing and Inspection: Outcome of the Advisory Vote by City Council November 18, 2025
City Council Blocks Public Voice on Rental Safety – ICON Statement on City Council’s Decision to Block Advisory Resolution
ICON expresses its profound disappointment and growing loss of faith in a process that is meant to be for the people, by the people. Last night, the City Council voted 5–4, with one alderperson recusing themselves due to a conflict of interest, to block an advisory resolution that would have allowed voters in March to weigh in on creating a landlord licensing and inspection program.
The No votes by the four city council members silences the voices of thousands of residents who expected elected representatives to act in their best interest. Even more troubling, one alderperson’s constituents were left without representation in this critical matter. When elected officials take the position that they “know better” than the people who elected them, it raises a fundamental question: What will the City Council do to restore trust and ensure that the will of the people is not disregarded?
ICON calls on the City Council to address this breach of democratic principles and reaffirm its commitment to transparency, accountability, and public participation in shaping policies that impact our community. What is the city’s plan? What is the timetable for a true and meaningful response to the health and safety crisis in rental housing? Will the Council and this administration take measurable steps to give those most affected a seat at the table?
We urge residents to act now:
- Join advocacy efforts to ensure community priorities are not ignored.
Together, we can hold our leaders accountable and protect the integrity of our democratic process. - Contact your alderperson and demand an explanation for this vote. Ask the questions above.
- Attend upcoming City Council meetings and speak out. Your voice matters.
Illinois Times Article November 19, 2025
IL Times Article June 8, 2023
Council declines to take up landlord registry
Most Illinois cities of a similar size require landlords to register
This issue appeared on the ICON 2023 Candidate Survey:
ICON believes we should follow what many other cities have already put in place to ensure rental property standards are maintained and that local contacts for out-of-town landlords are on file. Would you support a city ordinance requiring all landlords renting property in the city to register annually with the city providing local contact information and proof of garbage service?
I do not believe an ordinance would be needed for this. I believe through our publicly owned utility should collect the owner of records contact information. We should REQUIRE the owner to update their records with us when there is a phone number change or an address change. I would then allow all city departments who needed access to this information, access to these records in a central database. We would have already captured this information and an ordinance would not be necessary.
~ as answered by Mayor Misty Buscher.
Read answers from other elected city leaders here…
April 2024 Speaker
Our speaker on April 29 will be Michael Sinnet, the Neighborhood Services Director for the City of Joliet. He oversees what is essentially their code enforcement team, with ten inspectors. He is implementing Joliet’s newly-initiated single-family rental registration program. With a 2020 population of around 150,000, the City has had a multi-unit rental registration program for decades.
Mr. Sinnet, prior to his role in Joliet, headed up a similar team in Bloomington, where he still resides.
We’ve previously discussed how Springfield’s process works – or fails to work. Mr. Sinnet’s talk on rental property registration and overall code enforcement should be enlightening.