City Council discusses rental inspection pilot program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

At today’s Council Lunch Workshop, Building Development Services Director Martin Gugel presented a proposed rental inspection program aimed at improving the safety and quality of single-family and duplex rental housing for tenants, while helping landlords meet basic property-maintenance standards. The program would be refined over 18 months with a pilot in the West Central neighborhood before going citywide. 

Gugel said he hopes to get an ordinance for the pilot program on City Council’s meeting agenda this fall and begin reaching out to landlords and tenants in West Central to educate them about the program. However, a draft ordinance will be discussed by the Community Involvement Committee, whose next meeting is Aug. 20, before it appears on City Council’s meeting agenda. Gugel said by winter, he hopes to launch online tool Tolemi to allow property owners to apply for their rental licenses. 

West Central is bordered on the north by Chestnut Expressway, on the south by Grand Street, on the east by Kimbrough Avenue and on the west by Kansas Expressway. 

“West Central is an area with a high concentration of rental properties, numerous blighted and nuisance cases, as well as the average age of structure being 102 years old. With approximately 1,541 single-family and duplex rental units, this phased approach enables us to test the program on a smaller scale, gather insights and refine it before citywide implementation,” Gugel said. “Piloting this program in West Central allows us to refine the process, learn from real-world experience, and demonstrate the program’s value to the community. A review after the first 12 months will ensure we stay flexible and responsive to the needs of landlords, tenants and stakeholders.” 

Neighborhood support

West Central Neighborhood Alliance President Duane Keys said the neighborhood supports the rental inspection program and is hopeful that it will address some of the chronic issues it has seen with a small number of “problem” landlords.

“The West Central Neighborhood Alliance is in full support of this pilot program and the broader effort to create safe, affordable housing for Springfield residents. With such a high percentage of renters in our neighborhood, it’s critical that these properties meet basic habitability standards,” Keys said. “We’re hopeful this program will help address some of the chronic issues we’ve seen with a small number of problem landlords, while also highlighting the many who are doing things the right way. Most property owners we work with want to be part of the solution, and this gives everyone a clearer path to get there. We appreciate BDS choosing West Central as the pilot area and look forward to seeing how the program takes shape.”

Neighborhood Advisory Council President Becky Volz said a rental inspection program in Springfield would help everyone. 

“How can we expect our residents to love where they live and improve their quality of life if their landlord doesn’t respectfully maintain the home they are renting?,” Volz said. “This pilot program will give our inspectors some good data on the level of health and safety issues our neighbors are dealing with. It’s fair to ask landlords to rent a home with solid floors, working plumbing and safe electrical, at the minimum. I am aware of issues and expenses landlords face with irresponsible and disrespectful tenants, but that’s not a reason to ignore maintenance. Landlords can choose who they rent a home to – but a resident desperate for a home doesn’t always have a lot of choices. 

“I believe periodic inspections will actually assist landlords in awareness of maintenance needs. Maintenance and improvements to rental properties will keep property value on a level playing field in the whole neighborhood,” she added.

How a rental inspection program would work

If the pilot program is approved by council, every rental unit would be inspected by a BDS inspector once every five years, with approximately 308 units inspected per year. A required rental registration license obtained by landlords would cost $35 per year and the license would include the first inspection. 

Property owners must live or have a property manager with an office in Springfield’s urban service area, although Gugel said the ordinance could include an exemption for property owners within a certain radius of the city limits (immediately surrounding communities) who own four or fewer rental units. 

BDS would notify the property owner at the time of licensing of any units due for inspection that year. 

Gugel said inspectors would evaluate properties for habitability, meaning the dwellings are safe, sanitary and fit for human habitation. In addition to other educational materials, a rental inspection checklist would be provided to property owners upon registration.  

Items on the checklist include:

• roof condition
• structural integrity of the dwelling and chimney
• condition of windows, walls, ceilings and exterior doors
• whether the dwelling lacks minimum kitchen, cooking facilities, refrigerator and freezer, or food preparation areas
• whether the dwelling has properly functioning plumbing, water lines, sewer lines, water heater, heating system to maintain a temperature of at least 68 degrees and electricity, required smoke detectors and emergency escape/rescue windows
• whether the dwelling has accessory structures such as garages, carports or sheds in deteriorated condition or leaning to such an extent that it is in imminent danger of collapse
• whether the dwelling has substantial evidence of an insect or rodent infestation.

If a property fails inspection, re-inspections requiring BDS to travel to the inspection site will cost $50. BDS would notify tenants of an upcoming inspection at least 14 days prior to the inspection date. Notice would include an entry consent for the tenant to then return to BDS. If response is not received from the tenant by the deadline given, it would be taken as a refusal of consent by the tenant for BDS to enter the unit. An administrative search warrant would then be requested by BDS. 

Landlords whose properties fail inspection and re-inspection could incur fines through administrative hearings and Municipal Court.

Once a property has passed inspection, a certificate of compliance will be issued that must be posted by the owner, along with their rental license, on the property.

Funding

In the 2025-2026 City operating budget, City Council earmarked nearly $460,000 for a rental inspection program. Gugel said BDS will hire a residential building inspector (salary of approximately $74,000/year) and an administrative assistant (salary of approximately $60,000/year) to get the program started. 

An online tool called Tolemi (costing $15,000 for the first year and increasing to $40,000 as the program expands) will allow property owners to register their properties, schedule inspections and track their progress. Other program costs include a City vehicle for the inspector ($40,000 plus $4,000 in ongoing expenses for fuel and maintenance), $5,000 for computers, iPads and printers and $40,000 for office construction. 

Metrics for success

Gugel’s presentation listed several indicators by which BDS will determine the pilot program’s success:

• Inspection coverage: Percentage of units inspected within the first year.
• Impact: How much housing conditions have improved in West Central.
• Compliance: Percentage of properties brought up to code within 30 and 60 days of inspection.
• Feedback: Review feedback of surveys from landlords and tenants.
• Cost vs. revenue: Comparison of program costs to fees collected.
• Feasibility: Determine if the data provides a basis for the program to be continued.
• Expansion readiness: How well the program can scale to other areas, based on lessons learned.

The findings after the first 12 months of the pilot program in West Central will guide decisions about whether to continue the program, expand citywide, adjust the program, or add more resources to support it, Gugel said.

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For more information, please contact Melissa Hart at 417-536-7648 or [email protected].