A practical guide to the city’s new cited-property registry, fines, and timelines.
Springfield just adopted a tougher tool to go after repeat housing-code violators. If a property racks up 3+ independent violations within 12 months, it can be designated a “cited property,” triggering fines, mandatory registration, inspections, and public listing on a city website. This is not a blanket landlord registry—it targets addresses with repeated code issues (garbage, tall grass, broken windows, unsafe systems, etc.). Illinois Times
What triggers a “cited property” designation?
Threshold: Three or more violations within 12 months, based on separate inspections/incidents (same-day issues don’t count as separate). Vacant homes already on the city’s vacant-property registry are excluded. DocumentCloud
Example violations: Garbage/rubbish; grass/weeds over 10"; inoperable vehicles; broken/missing windows; peeling paint; soffit/fascia/siding damage; roof/gutter/stair/handrail defects; structural/foundation issues; hazardous/inoperable electrical, gas, mechanical, plumbing, sewer, fireplaces/chimneys. DocumentCloud+1
Site-wide coverage: If one building on a multi-building site qualifies, the whole site can be treated as a cited property (think apartment campuses). Illinois Times
What happens once you’re cited?
Administrative hearing & notice
The city serves notice (mail to the tax-bill address or personal service) and sets a hearing only on the designation question. If the officer upholds it, the property becomes a cited property. DocumentCloudImmediate consequences
Fines (minimums):
• $300 (single-family/duplex) • $500 (3–25 units) • $1,000 (26+ units or commercial). Pay within 30 days. DocumentCloudMandatory registration (within 30 days): Owner info, partners/managers for LLCs, local agent for service, unit counts, and manager/collector details. Late fees: $50–$500 per day if you miss it. DocumentCloud
City inspection (within 30 days) and 90 days to fix all listed items; re-inspection follows. A one-year follow-up inspection is also required. DocumentCloud
Public posting: The address and titled owner go on a public online list until you clear the status. DocumentCloud
How you get off the list
Pay the fine, file the registration, repair/abate all violations, then let one year elapse from the final decision (or from any re-designation). DocumentCloud
New owner-level penalty (the big change)
If an owner ends up with three or more properties designated as cited properties, they must register all of their properties and face an additional fine of no less than $5,000. This amendment passed with the ordinance. Illinois Timescapitolcitynow.com
Why Springfield did this (and what it’s not)
City Hall separated housing-code enforcement from the older “chronic nuisance/crime-related” rules so a potential state ban on crime-free ordinances wouldn’t blunt the city’s ability to pursue pure housing-code problems. It also created a targeted registry to add teeth (fines, public listing) without adopting a blanket landlord registry. Vote: 9–0. Illinois TimesWICS
Owner playbook: how to stay clear (or get clean, fast)
If you receive a “cited property” notice:
Don’t skip the hearing. Bring photos, invoices, and proof of correction; the hearing only covers designation. DocumentCloud
Register within 30 days and schedule the inspection immediately to preserve your 90-day fix window. DocumentCloud+1
Front-load repairs (roofs, e-panel hazards, plumbing leaks) to eliminate re-designation exposure. Subsequent violations after designation must be fixed within 30 days. DocumentCloud
Document everything (before/after photos, dated receipts); if you ever need a court stay, your paper trail matters. DocumentCloud
Prevention checklist (use this quarterly):
Solid waste & lawn: no overflow; grass < 10".
Exterior envelope: windows, paint, soffit/fascia/siding intact; gutters moving water away.
Life-safety & systems: electrical/gas/mechanical/plumbing/sewer/fireplaces in safe, operable condition. (If in doubt, schedule a licensed check.) DocumentCloud+1
For multi-building sites:
Inspect all buildings together; one weak link now affects the whole campus. Consider a rolling punch-list and monthly “top 10” defects report so small items never accumulate to three strikes. Illinois Times
Communications you should send (copy/paste ideas)
To residents: “We’re accelerating exterior and safety inspections this quarter to ensure compliance with Springfield’s new housing-code standards. Please report issues in the portal within 24 hours.”
To vendors: “Priority categories for 90-day remediation: water intrusion, electrical hazards, broken windows, and exterior trip/fall items.”
To owners/investors: A one-page dashboard showing open violations, ETA to close, and risk level (0/1/2 strikes).
FAQs
Is this a landlord registry?
No. It’s a cited-property registry—address-based and public—that kicks in after three independent housing-code violations in 12 months. Illinois Times
What if my property is already on the city’s vacant-property registry?
Those are handled under a separate section; vacant properties registered (or required to register) under §170.17.56 aren’t counted as “cited properties” for this program. DocumentCloud
How steep are the fines?
Minimums: $300 (SFH/duplex), $500 (3–25 units), $1,000 (26+ units/commercial) + $50–$500/day late fees if you miss the registration deadline. Owners with 3+ cited properties face ≥$5,000 and must register all properties. DocumentCloudcapitolcitynow.com
Bottom line
This ordinance is about speed and accountability. Three strikes in a year triggers fines, a public listing, mandatory registration, and short clocks to fix issues—especially at multi-building sites. Stay ahead with quarterly exterior checks, fast work-order turnarounds, and a simple compliance dashboard, and you’ll never see your address on the registry.
Sources: City ordinance text and local reporting on the council vote and amendment. DocumentCloud+2DocumentCloud+2Illinois TimesWICS
Disclaimer: Informational only; not legal advice. Consult your attorney for case-specific guidance.
