Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Aldermen are cracking down on owners of problem properties. Ald Ralph Hanauer proposed the penalty, as the ordinance passed unanimously.

“Owners with three cited properties are fined not less than $5,000 and they will have to register all properties,” said Ald. Ralph Hanauer.

It’s not enough for citizen Ken Pacha.

“We’re not gonna make a real registry, because – for some reason in this city – we’re scared of developers, we’re scared of realtors, and we’re scared of landlords and holding them accountable for their actions,” Pacha told the council, “because if they were good landlords, they wouldn’t be scared of a standard that everyone should be held to to make sure these properties don’t develop to the point that landlords don’t own seven, eight, nine, ten bad properties!

“That’s insane!!”

Since commercial properties are covered in the ordinance, the city does not consider this a “landlord registry.”