Housing Is a Human Right: Analyzing Springfield’s Housing Crisis – A Call To Action

 Springfield, Illinois — the Land of Lincoln — is supposed to be the heart of America. It’s a city that carries the legacy of Abraham Lincoln and everything he stood for: fairness, equality, and unity.

You’d think a place with that kind of history would lead the way in social justice and strong communities. But there’s something we’re not talking about enough — a housing crisis that’s punishing people for being poor, and a system that isn’t doing nearly enough to fix it.

One only has to walk in downtown Springfield to see all of the history for themselves. The monuments, the old buildings — this is where Lincoln lived, worked, and wrote his First Inaugural Address. A once powerful figure, in a city that he loved and grew up in. If he could see the city today, would he be proud of what it’s become? Honestly, I’m not so sure.

Abraham Lincoln knew what it meant to struggle — born into poverty, raised in hardship, and largely an autodidact who educated himself through sheer will and hard work. If he were alive today, would he accept that thousands of families in Springfield — the city that honors his name — have no stable place to call home?

According to the Springfield Housing Authority (SHA), more than 3,000 families in Sangamon County are currently on the waitlist for affordable housing, with no clear timeline for when their needs will be met. Over the past five years, the average rent in Springfield has surged by nearly 20%. I can personally relate — I pay $1,400 a month for a 3-bedroom, 1,300 sq. ft. apartment. This increase has far outpaced wage growth, which has consistently lagged behind inflation. What this means is simple: people are struggling to make ends meet, and affordable housing remains incredibly scarce.

Residents are often forced into expensive leases because they don’t qualify for mortgages, while the safer neighborhoods (mainly on the West side of Springfield) — those where families might hope to build a better life — are priced out of reach. This forces many into unsafe living environments, where conditions are often subpar and the stress of living paycheck to paycheck takes a toll on both physical and mental health.

Take Sandra, a single mother of two in Springfield. She’s been on the SHA waitlist for over a year while working two jobs. She can’t afford the rent in safer neighborhoods, so she stays in an area where she doesn’t feel safe letting her kids play outside.

So what can we do? First, affordable housing needs to be at the forefront of policy discussion.

Safe, affordable and accessible units in communities that provide access to quality schooling and affordable healthcare. Policy priorities that focus on housing as a fundamental human right—one that everyone, regardless of income, should have access to without fear of homelessness. Housing is a human right.

Expanding housing voucher programs is one critical step. When SHA is overwhelmed and underfunded, it’s up to lawmakers to step up. What this comes down to is public representatives pushing for more funding in the public housing sector to address chronic housing instability that plagues so many Springfield residents. Building a strong and more inclusive community within Springfield would prioritize people over profit—one that Lincoln may actually recognize as just.

If you want a community that thrives and is representative of all, and not just those privileged few, then it starts with us. Write to your local representatives and let them know that you want affordable housing as a top priority. Go to the Capitol building and request an audience with them.

The benefit of living in Springfield is that our representatives are only minutes away at any given time. Be the voice that won’t let this issue get pushed to the back burner.

As the Land of Lincoln, Springfield should be a beacon of justice and equality — just as it was in Lincoln’s time. Let’s make sure that when people think of Springfield, they don’t just think of history, but of a city that stands up for its people. Springfield should be a leader, not a follower — and that starts with you and me.

The How, and Why Wonder Book version of a Descriptive Paper about Housing Choice Vouchers

 What Is Section 8 and How Does It Help People?

Life is expensive, and rent is only going up. For many people, paying rent while covering basic needs like food, gas, or medicine is a constant struggle. That's where Section 8 comes in. It's a program that helps low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities afford a place to live.

Why Do We Need Section 8?

Not everyone has the income to cover rent and other basic living expenses. Even some people working full-time still can’t afford a decent place to live. Section 8 helps by covering part of the rent so families can live in safe homes without constantly worrying about eviction or homelessness.

So, What Is Section 8 Exactly?

Section 8 is a rental assistance program. It gives people a voucher (like a coupon) to help pay their rent. You don’t have to live in public housing. The voucher can be used with private landlords as long as they agree to accept it.

Here’s how it works:

• You apply through your local housing office, called the Public Housing Authority (PHA).
• If approved and a voucher is available, the government pays part of your rent directly to your landlord.
• You pay the remaining portion, usually about 30% of your income.

For example, if you make $1,500 a month, you might only pay about $450 for rent, and Section 8 will cover the rest.

Who Can Get Section 8?

To qualify for Section 8, you have to:

• Be a U.S. citizen or a legal resident.
• Have a low income (the exact amount depends on where you live).
• Pass a background check (looking at things like criminal history or past evictions).
• Meet other local rules based on your specific area.

Most Section 8 participants are families with kids, seniors, or people with disabilities. But single adults with low incomes can also apply.

How Do You Apply?

1. Find your local housing office: You can search for “Section 8 [your city]” on Google or visit HUD.gov.
2. Check if they are accepting applications: Some housing offices only open their waiting lists once a year, so keep an eye out.
3. Fill out the form: You’ll provide details about your income, family size, and current living situation.
4. Wait for your name to come up: Depending on where you live, this could take months or even years.
5. If you’re chosen, you’ll receive a voucher and can start looking for a rental.
6. Once you find a place, the housing office will inspect it to make sure it’s safe and that the rent is fair.

How Much Help Do You Get?

The amount of help you receive depends on several factors:

• Your income
• The size of your family
• The rent prices in your area

Typically, you pay about 30% of your income for rent, and Section 8 covers the rest. But they won’t cover rent for places that are too expensive. Each area has a limit on how much they’ll pay based on something called Fair Market Rent.

Real Story – Maria’s Journey

Maria is a 33-year-old single mom from Decatur, Illinois. She works full-time at a nursing home and picks up extra shifts when she can. Despite all her hard work, rent kept going up, and she started falling behind. The stress of constantly worrying about eviction was overwhelming.

One day, a coworker told her about Section 8. Maria applied and was placed on the waiting list. It took almost three years, but when her name was called, she felt like she could finally breathe.

Now, Maria pays about 30% of her income for rent and lives in a safe, clean apartment close to her kids’ school. She’s been able to start saving for a used car and took her youngest to the dentist without stressing about how to pay.

“I used to have to choose between rent and groceries. Now, I can finally do both,” says Maria.

While Section 8 didn’t solve all her problems, it gave her a second chance.

What’s Good About Section 8?

• It helps families stay in their homes and avoid homelessness.
• Kids can stay in the same school and have a better chance at success.
• It helps families move to safer neighborhoods, not just low-income areas.
• Families can use the savings on rent for other important needs like food, gas, or medicine.
• It provides families with stability, reducing stress and opening up more opportunities for the future.

What’s Not So Good?

• Long waiting lists: Some families are on the list for years before they can get help.
• Not every landlord accepts Section 8 vouchers, which can make it harder to find housing.
• Limited funding means not everyone who qualifies can get assistance.
• Some people criticize the program, saying it’s unfair or that others take advantage of it.
• Section 8 often pushes renters into poorer neighborhoods, which can keep the cycle of poverty going.

Why Section 8 Still Matters

Even with its flaws, Section 8 helps millions of people stay housed. It’s not a free ride—people still pay a portion of their rent—but it makes a huge difference, especially when finances are tight. Stable housing leads to less stress, better health, and more opportunities for families to thrive.

When I was a child, I loved to read How and Why Wonder Books, which were non-fiction books for children that introduced topics such as dinosaurs, ocean life, astronomy, birds, and so forth to children. I think many of us in our 50s or 60s may have grown up with these books.  Your paper reminded me of the format of those books.  That is a good thing.  I really like how you presented the information you gathered about housing choice vouchers.

I have done research on persons who live in public housing and various other types of low-income neighborhoods in urban areas, and as I often did my interviewing inside people's homes, I was able to notice that the Public Housing and Section 8 Housing was generally better than the low-income affordable private market rate housing.  People seemed to feel a bit ashamed if they lived with housing subsidies or in public housing, but it seemed to me that they were better off staying in such housing arrangements. 

You might have mentioned that the fair market rate is a typical rental cost for an apartment at the 40th percentile, where 60% of similar apartments would cost more, and 40% would cost less.  Apartments do not have to be exactly at the fair market rate, but the average rents paid with vouchers should not exceed the fair market rate. 

Housing Choice Vouchers: a descriptive paper

One of the most prominent problems affecting the world today is homelessness due to the lack of sufficient housing. The Housing Choice Voucher program is federally funded and is the government’s main solution to providing affordable housing assistance. The Housing Choice Voucher program, better known as Section 8, came into fruition in 1974 under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. Since then, approximately five million people benefit from this program annually. The majority of those five million people are in one of the three categories: low income families, the elderly, and people with disabilities. 

So how does this system work? Well, the participants in the program pay approximately 30% of their income for rent and utilities and the housing choice voucher covers the rest up to a cap based on HUD estimates of the typical market rents in the area. The amount covered by the housing choice voucher goes directly to the landlords. Only about 25% of people who apply for these services receive them due to the lack of funding and hence, waitlists are established.

The system provides a sense of dignity and autonomy to its participants as it generally allows them to choose where they wish to reside in a neighborhood that may be low income but it is not at the end of the spectrum. Furthermore, the housing authority inspections are held up to HUD’s standards, which are exceedingly high. Inspections are performed by the Public Housing Authority staff members and the landlords must pass an initial inspection upon the desire to lease the property, annual inspection and any special inspections that may occur on the basis of complaints by either the tenant, landlord or public in regards to the housing property. These inspections are based on thirteen key aspects: smoke detectors, sanitary facilities, the use of lead paint, sanitary conditions, access, the site and neighborhood, the thermal environment, the illumination and electricity, the structure and materials used, food preparation and refuse disposal, space and security, interior air quality and water supply. Basically, the agency goes over everything to ensure that the tenants under their program have a safe and secure environment.

There are three types of vouchers that this program provides: tenant based vouchers, project based vouchers, and home ownership vouchers. Tenant based vouchers allow the users of the program to choose from any eligible housing unit in the private market be it apartment complexes, townhouses, or family homes; the rent is partially covered and is given automatically to the landlord. Project based vouchers do not allow the participants of the program to choose where they live but instead assign the participants to a certain property participating in the program. The home ownership vouchers allow residents to either buy their home or pay monthly home ownership expenses instead of rent with the only stipulation being that the amount paid to the participant is the same amount that would be used to cover the cost of rent. 

While extremely useful, this program does have some setbacks. There is generally a long wait period to get into the subsidized housing units because of a general lack of funding. In fact, the average amount of time that people spend on wait lists is approximately two and a half years, with the longest amount being up to eight years. This causes homelessness, eviction, and  overcrowding for copious amounts of people. 

Another issue that the participants in the program face is that the landlords have the right to refuse the vouchers. The vouchers are beneficial to a lot of landlords because the stipend issued  goes directly to the landlord, meaning that the landlord would receive definite payment. Yet, while some landlords acknowledge this fact and use the program to their advantage, others prefer to refuse the vouchers for various reasons. According to reddit forums, the landlords feel that the tenants using the housing choice system are a lot more work than normal tenants, that they are completely unreliable, unkempt, and that the inspections from the housing authority are too demanding on the landlords. The paperwork itself also appears to be an issue as it is very tedious and takes an extensive period of time to go through and, as a result, some of the housing is left unoccupied for periods of time before the tenants are allowed there. 

In the Springfield, Illinois area, the Springfield Housing Authority is in charge of administering the Housing Choice Voucher program and the subsequent vouchers. The program itself would not be successful without the diligent staff working to make a difference. The Board of Commissioners consists of four members: Tim Schweiser, Daniel R. Long, Luckist Turner and Joshua Johnson. These four people have the responsibility of overseeing the SHA's mission of providing quality, affordable housing, advocating for residents, and preserving existing affordable housing stock, while also supporting the expansion of diverse affordable housing options. The Executive Director of the facility is Jackie L. Newman. Jackie is responsible for managing and directing all functions of the agency, including administering policies, supervising staff, ensuring compliance with regulations, and overseeing the development and preservation of affordable housing, as well as managing the agency's budget.

In order to be eligible for a housing choice voucher in Illinois, the staff members will collect information regarding the applicant’s family composition, income, and any assets that have been acquired. All applications must be filled out in person and be interviewed by a section 8 specialist. If the family is eligible, they will be put on the waiting list and additional information will be taken. After that, the participant will be required to attend a new participant briefing session where the housing choice voucher will be issued. I have provided a short graph of the eligibility for income limits below. 

Household Size	FY 2025 Income Limit
1	$40,150
2	$45,900
3	$51,650
4	$57,350
5	$61,950
6	$66,550
7	$71,150
8	$75,750

In addition to housing choice vouchers, the Springfield Housing Authorities can build new projects. The City of Springfield allocated funds to two affordable housing projects in FY2023 and monitored the development of a project funded from previous years, including the Deerfield Park Place development which added 22 units of affordable rental units. The SHA has also partnered with the Nehemiah Expansion, Inc. to build 40 single-family homes in a historically disadvantaged part of the city. Another example would be when they worked on the Park Avenue Residences, a supportive housing community providing 22 apartments for formerly homeless residents. No matter which way you look at it, the program is beneficial to everyone involved and is helping to dramatically decrease the number of people experiencing  homelessness. One can only imagine what the future may bring and what new residences will be built under this company.

Works Cited

https://www.cbpp.org/research/housing/families-wait-years-for-housing-vouchers-due-to-inadequate-funding#:~:text=Due%20to%20limited%20program%20funding,and%20among%20the%20largest%20agencies.)

chrome-extension://bdfcnmeidppjeaggnmidamkiddifkdib/viewer.html?file=https://www.springfield.il.us/Docs/PublicNotice/

https://www.hud.gov/helping-americans/housing-choice-vouchers-tenants 

https://www.nhlp.org/resource-center/section-8-vouchers/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Landlord/comments/1855fkt/landlord_usil_accepting_section_8/ 

http://springfieldhousingauthority.org/section8.aspx

This is a comprehensive paper with many details.  I am glad you have included names of people involved in public housing in Springfield, and also provided a chart on income limits for household sizes to qualify for housing vouchers. If I were going to add anything, I would add some details about the total numbers of households or persons getting each type of voucher and the total budget for each voucher program, which would have enabled you to give at least a rough calculation of how much this program costs, on average, per household.  You mentioned about five million people benefit from the voucher program annually.

Given the recommended time investments I asked students to put into this paper, you probably exceeded the work load I expected from students.  No shame in that; this is a paper you can be proud of.