THE PROBLEMS

21% of Springfield homes have damage visible from outside. We don’t know how many more have dangerous indoor conditions. (1)
Slum housing, like damaged buildings, mold, and vermin, makes tenants, especially children, sick. (2)
Many tenants are afraid to report dangerous conditions to the city because their landlords threaten them with eviction if they do. (3)

About 2,400 evictions are filed in Springfield each year – about 1.8 families each day. (4)
In Missouri eviction cases, court records show 70% of landlords have lawyers, but only 10% of tenants do. (5)
Evictions harm tenants’ credit, access to stable jobs, and ability to access housing in the future. (6)

Springfield has 8,960 fewer affordable rental units than we need. (7)
60% of all Springfield renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing. (8)
A full time minimum wage earner would have to work 58 hours per week to afford the average rent for a 2-bedroom apartment in Springfield. (9, 10, 11)

THE SOLUTIONS

1 in 5 Springfield homes show visible damage, and many more have hidden hazards like mold and faulty wiring, leading to health issues and house fires. Without mandatory rental licensing and inspections, tenants are unprotected, risk retaliation, and homes are lost — shrinking supply and driving up rents. A Healthy Homes Guarantee would hold landlords accountable, enforce safety standards, and save our homes from being lost due to neglect.

Everyone deserves a fair chance in court — but in Springfield, landlords have lawyers in 70% of evictions; tenants in fewer than 10%. Evictions are the leading cause of homelessness and children make up 40% of those evicted. A Right to Counsel program would guarantee legal representation (a lawyer), ensuring cases are decided on facts—not money. Cities with this program have cut evictions in half and saved millions by reducing homelessness and emergency costs.

Springfield is losing affordable homes faster than we can replace it and needs 9,000 more that working class families can afford. An Affordable Housing Trust Fund would build, repair, and preserve affordable homes, keep rents within reach, and ensure long-term stability for neighborhoods and future generations.