To address the need for more housing that is affordable in Springfield, the City Council identified land acquisition for development of housing to serve people with low incomes as a priority of its Housing Strategy. The City is working to identify and purchase vacant land that is suitable for income-qualified housing. The City does not plan to own the land long-term or to build housing but will instead award any property it purchases to developers with a requirement that income-qualified housing be built.
The City received $1.5 million in one-time American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding through an intergovernmental agreement with Lane County in 2023 to support the City’s efforts to buy land for this purpose. The City is using these funds towards its acquisition efforts.
LAND ACQUISITION FUNDING
The City has one-time funding available for qualified applicants to purchase land in Springfield suited for the development of income-qualified housing. There is approximately $400,000 available. Prospective applicants should contact staff to check the status of available funds before filling out an application. Funds will be awarded as a forgivable loan, forgivable upon completion of a 20-year affordability period. To be eligible for an award of funds, applications must meet several eligibility criteria. Property purchased with these funds may be used for the development of income-qualified rental or homeownership housing.
The City requests applications from public agencies, non-profit organizations, and private developers to address housing needs in the community. Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis and the application process may close at any time once available funds have been allocated.
City Owned Properties
Laura Street
The City owns a .17 acre R-1 zoned property on Laura Street. Lane County foreclosed on the property and transferred it to the City for the development of income-qualified rental housing. The City offered the property for development through the Eugene-Springfield HOME Consortium’s 2024 HOME American Rescue Plan Act (HOME-ARP) request for proposals (RFP).
Proposals were reviewed by an evaluation committee, the Springfield City Council, and the Eugene-Springfield HOME Governing Board. DevNW was selected to receive HOME-ARP funding and the property to build the Laura Apartments, three attached 2-story homes for survivors of domestic violence.
Rendering of DevNW’s Laura Apartments
(BDA Architecture)
Once DevNW has finished securing financing for the project and meets all the federal HOME-ARP funding requirements, the property will be transferred to them to begin construction. DevNW anticipates completing construction by the end of 2026.
S. 52nd Street
The City owns a 0.25 acre R-1 zoned property on S. 52nd Street. The City took ownership of this foreclosed property from Lane County for the development of income-qualified homeownership housing.Â
The City offered the property for development through a request for proposals (RFP) process. DevNW was selected to receive the property to build six 2-story homes for sale to income-qualified buyers. The proposal can be viewed here.Â
Click here for a copy of the information posted at the property on August 4, 2025.
Rendering of DevNW’s proposal
(Studio.e Architecture)
Main Street & 16th Street
The City purchased a 1.1 acre Community Commercial and R-1 split-zoned property in January 2024 for the development of income-qualified housing. The City offered the property for development through the Eugene-Springfield HOME Consortium’s 2025 HOME request for proposals (RFP). Â
In January 2026, the Springfield City Council authorized transfer of the property to Cornerstone Community Housing to build Sawyer Station, a 40-unit apartment complex for income-qualified renters. The Council also recommended the project to the HOME Governing Board to receive HOME funds to support development.
Click here to see a copy of Cornerstone’s proposal.
Rendering of Sawyer Station
(Rowell Brokaw)
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