Housing Opportunities in Non-Residential Areas Code Amendments

Staff have begun working on Development Code amendments to allow for some housing in non-residential areas. The amendments will include changes prompted by recent state legislation and will also clarify existing code language related to income-qualified housing.

The recent State laws open new opportunities for income-qualified housing to be built in commercial areas and allows conversion of a building from a commercial to residential use. The laws also expand opportunities for manufactured dwelling park nonprofit cooperatives. While the main purpose of the code amendments is to comply with State law, there is some alignment with the City’s Housing Strategy. Part of the strategy is to increase the supply and diversity of housing at all levels.

Staff are hosting two online workshops to share what’s in the draft code amendments and seek input. Ways to participate include:

• Online Code Workshop – 6:00-7:00pm Wednesday, February 28th on Zoom
• Online Code Workshop – 1:00-2:00pm Thursday, February 29th on Zoom
• Review the draft code and provide comments on the project webpage

Feedback can help inform revisions to the next iteration of draft code that will be presented at an upcoming work session and public hearing which will include another opportunity for public comment. For more information, reach out to Haley Campbell at hcampbell@springfield-or.gov.

Housing Diversity Tax Exemption Updates

The Housing Diversity Tax Exemption “HDTE” is a property tax exemption the Council is considering adopting to incentivize the development of new multiple-unit housing in some areas of Springfield. The program would be application-based, and projects would need to meet certain minimum requirements to qualify for the 10-year tax exemption. One eligibility requirement is that projects would need to be located within one of the HDTE program areas the City has identified. Those areas must be within a quarter mile of transit.



At its February 5, 2024 meeting, the Council directed staff to add a portion of Glenwood to the list of program areas already under consideration for the HDTE. The draft map below shows all the geographic areas of Springfield where multiple-unit housing projects would be eligible to apply for the tax exemption.

Next, the Council will hold a public hearing to determine the need for this program to stimulate construction of multiple-unit housing. The public hearing will be held during Council’s regular session meeting on March 4, 2024, starting at 7:00pm. The meeting will be hybrid; the public can attend in person at City Hall located at 225 5th Street, via phone, or via Zoom. Details for attending remotely will be included in the Council packet which will be available by Friday, March 1, 2024 on the City Council Meeting webpage. For more information, contact Katie Carroll at 541.726.3660 or by email at kcarroll@springfield-or.gov.

Community Development Block Grants

The City of Springfield uses Federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to assist with affordable housing development, housing-related services, neighborhood revitalization, public improvements, and downtown redevelopment activities. The primary purpose of the CDBG program is to benefit low- and moderate-income persons.

The DRAFT Fiscal Year 2025 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Annual Action Plan will be available for review and comment no later than March 1, 2024.

• Public Comment – The public is encouraged to comment on the draft plan. The comment period will close on April 3rd.
• Public Hearing – The Community Development Advisory Committee (CDAC) will hold a public hearing on the draft FY 2025 CDBG Annual Action Plan at their committee meeting on April 3, 2024 and will make a recommendation to the Council for FY 2025 CDBG funding allocations.

More information about the DRAFT Fiscal Year 2025 CDBG Annual Action Plan, including how to provide public comment and attend the public hearing, will be available online at SpringfieldOregonSpeaks no later than March 1, 2024.

During the February 20, 2024 City Council regular session meeting, the Council approved a substantial amendment of the Fiscal Year 2023 CDBG action plan.

• The amendment reallocates $117,548 to the City’s Springfield Homeownership Program (SHOP), allowing additional low-income additional households to receive homeownership assistance. More information about SHOP can be found on the City’s SHOP webpage.

Additional information about Housing and Block Grant Programs at the City can be found on the City’s HUD funds webpage.

Removing Discriminatory Language from Your Property Title

From the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century, certain property deeds in Springfield included discriminatory language to restrict ownership based on race. Although the language is no longer enforceable, it is still on those property titles today. The City has added information to our website on how to remove discriminatory language from your property deed or covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&Rs).

The process is administered by the Circuit Court for the county in which the property is located, and it is free. To learn more, visit our Fair Housing webpage and check out the FAQ linked below!

At its February 20, 2024 meeting, the Council adopted a resolution directing the City Attorney to petition the Lane County Circuit Court to remove discriminatory restrictions for any and all City-owned property that contains such restrictions in recognition that these restrictions contradict the Council’s adopted housing policies, goals, and strategies.

City Acquires Property for Affordable Housing

As part of its Housing Strategy the City has been looking for land to purchase that is suitable for the development of housing that is affordable to households with low incomes. The City has one-time funds through the County to purchase land for this purpose. At its January 2, 2024 meeting, the Council authorized the City Manager to negotiate the purchase of a property for this purpose. The City closed on the purchase in late January and will announce plans to make the property available for development at a later date.

The City continues to look for land to purchase with remaining funding. If you have vacant land that would be suitable for multifamily housing or a cottage cluster development and are interested in selling it at fair market value, or want to learn more, please get in touch! Contact Erin Fifield at 541.726.2302 or efifield@springfield-or.gov.