Springfield approves community land trust townhomes, expands affordable ownership

The Springfield City Council on November 19 approved a proposal from DevNW to build six two story townhomes on city owned property at 367 S. 52nd Street, and authorized transfer of the land to the nonprofit for development. The council also allocated $100,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds toward the project, marking a local government commitment to the community land trust approach and to expanding affordable housing options within city limits.

Under the community land trust model DevNW will retain ownership of the land and sell the homes to income qualified buyers who will lease the land under a ground lease. That separation of land and structure is intended to keep sale prices lower than comparable market rate homes and to preserve affordability for future owners. DevNW anticipates offering each three bedroom, two bathroom home at about $230,000. By comparison the median home price in Springfield was $418,675 as of June 30, 2025.

Each unit will be roughly 1300 square feet. One home will feature a fully accessible first floor, and the other five units will meet visitability standards intended to reduce barriers for visitors and future occupants with mobility needs. DevNW plans to apply for $1,230,000 from Oregon Housing and Community Services to help finance the development and expects a roughly two year timeline for planning and construction.

For Springfield residents the project brings a concentrated effort to increase entry level ownership opportunities in a market where median prices have outpaced incomes. The expected $230,000 sale price would make homeownership attainable for many households who currently find purchase prices out of reach, particularly first time buyers and households that meet income eligibility for the community land trust program. City officials framed the transfer and funding as actions that advance equitable homeownership while improving the city housing stock.

The project at 367 S. 52nd Street is modest in scale, but it aligns with broader strategies that cities across the United States are using to stabilize neighborhoods and keep housing affordable over the long term. By keeping the land in community stewardship the development seeks to lock in a public interest dimension to ownership that can limit speculative pressures and maintain affordability for subsequent buyers. For Lane County residents watching housing costs and options closely, the DevNW development will be an early test of how community land trust tools can work in Springfield to expand access to stable, owned housing.