Help Rock Island remove the fire sprinkler mandate for new homes
You have a chance to have your voice heard - help Rock Island remove the fire sprinkler mandate on new homes. The fire sprinkler ordinance will be up for a second reading at the next council meeting on August 11. Visit our Advocacy Action Center to instantly send an email to all council members urging them to fully remove the mandate.
For years, the Quad Cities Chamber has supported this change, citing feedback from the residential development community that the requirement has hindered new housing production in Rock Island. Developers noted that the sprinkler requirement:
- Increased the overall cost of new home construction, a burden ultimately passed on to the homebuyer.
- Raised homeowner insurance premiums due to risks associated with potential flooding and freezing pipes.
- Put Rock Island at a competitive disadvantage in the Quad Cities, as no other local municipality has such a requirement.
"Eliminating the fire sprinkler mandate in new home construction is a practical and necessary step toward tackling our housing affordability and inventory crisis,” said Sharon Smith of Quad City Area Realtors. “By reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens, we can open the door to more accessible, affordable housing, strengthen our real estate market and help ensure that the American dream of homeownership remains within reach for all."
