Letter to the Editor: Voting for Q-RILE initiative will send clear message to City Council

Over the last couple of days, I have seen some very misleading signs popping up in Quincy to vote no on the ballot initiative about Q-RILE (Quincy for Registration, Inspection and Licensing Enactment).

The sign states, “Quincians (should be spelled Quincyans) for registration, Inspection, Licensing and Enactment” to confuse the Quincy residents that they are voting for such matters when they vote no.  In actuality, they are voting in complete contrast to this statement with a no vote.  

I have also heard there is a pressure campaign from some landlords texting their tenants to vote no. This “advertising” campaign is being sponsored by local landlords that are hoping Quincy will be fooled. I hope Quincy is smarter than this misspelled and misleading sign.

We all know that Quincy has a problem with safe, affordable housing. We hear it over and over. The problem is we keep hearing about it, but few are acting.  It is a multifaceted problem. We need registration, inspections and new affordable housing built. It’s a puzzle that has so many moving pieces, but if we don’t start with a few pieces, it will never come together.

Q-RILE has started putting that puzzle together by putting a basic non-binding rental inspection referendum on the ballot.

What will this do? It will send a clear message to our City Council and leaders that something needs to be done now. The plan will still need council approval before being implemented.  It calls for a small fee to the landlords that will cover adding an inspector to do a basic inspection and keep records on all rental properties. We are one of the few cities in Illinois that does not already do this. Too many of our neighborhoods are deteriorating, and too many of our city’s children are living in unsafe housing. This is a start. Other organizations are working on building more housing and assisting those who cannot afford basic housing.

Why do we need this? Yes, there are current rules on the books. The problem is nobody is enforcing them because (the city does) not have enough inspectors.  Currently, a resident must file a complaint with the city and then take the landlord to court.  This seldomly gets done because the landlord will retaliate and evict the resident, then let other landlords in the area know not to rent to them, thus leaving the tenant homeless, even if they would have the funds for a deposit. This fear causes the unsafe conditions to not be reported and allows them to continue.

Please stand up to these landlords that want no oversight and say, “Enough is enough.” Quincy needs change, not just talking about it. Vote yes.

Trish Santos
Quincy, Illinois