Springfield reviews draft 2025 Eugene–Springfield consolidated plan outlining HUD-funded housing priorities

Erin Fifield, community development analyst for the city of Springfield, presented the draft 2025 Eugene–Springfield five‑year consolidated plan at a Springfield City Council work session, describing it as “a requirement, in order for the cities of Springfield and Eugene to receive federal funds from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, also known as HUD.”

The consolidated plan, completed jointly with Eugene and with consultation from Lane County on homelessness and social services, is the strategic document the cities must use to guide allocations of HUD formula funds, including Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME funds, for the next five years. Fifield told the council the jurisdictions are “estimated to receive approximately 14,000,000 over the next 5 years.” She said Springfield’s annual CDBG allocation is about $535,000 and its annual HOME allocation is roughly $250,000–$300,000.

The plan lays out six priority needs—renters, people experiencing homelessness, non‑homeless special populations, homeowners, employment opportunities and low‑income neighborhoods—and recommends strategic goals such as increasing affordable housing supply, rehabilitating existing housing and providing homeownership assistance. Fifield said the plan also includes measurable outcomes guided by recent funding and prior council support, but noted that annual action plans will determine the specific allocations year by year.

Fifield highlighted recent results from the current five‑year period: the city supported the creation of 69 units at the Hayden Bridge Landing apartments developed by Homes for Good, provided no‑interest deferred loans of $25,000 under the SHOP homeownership program (estimated to support about three new homebuyers per year), and allocated CDBG funding for home repairs, rental apartment repairs and nonprofit facilities improvements. She also said approximately 46% of Springfield households rent their homes; about 68% of low and very low‑income renters are severely cost burdened (spending more than half of income on housing); roughly 36% of Springfield homeowner households are lower‑moderate income; and about 1,000 tenant‑based housing vouchers are in use in Springfield. Fifield reported that about 1,000 Springfield residents were unhoused at some point in 2022.

Council members asked for clarifications and offered feedback. Councilor Alan raised concerns about single‑parent households and whether current assistance levels reach people who “just barely” miss program eligibility; Fifield said those are policy questions typically addressed during the annual action plan and through the Community Development Advisory Committee (CDAC). Councilor Maureen praised Fifield’s work and emphasized the procedural constraints and federal requirements staff must follow. Councilor Carmen observed that while the consolidated plan includes an economic development category, the city historically has found fewer projects that qualify for that bucket and has focused funding on housing and human services.

Fifield said the consolidated plan advisory committee, formed by Eugene and Springfield staff and elected representatives, reviewed outreach results and recommended the draft goals; the committee included one city councilor and two community members from each city, and Councilor Bradley represented Springfield on the committee. Fifield described outreach methods used during the planning process—interviews, surveys, focus groups and public hearings—and said the plan relies on data from the U.S. Census, the American Community Survey, HUD’s CHAS data and local datasets from Lane County and the Housing Authority.

Next steps: Fifield told council she will return during a regular session with a resolution for the council to adopt the consolidated plan; Eugene City Council will also consider the plan, and the jurisdictions must submit the adopted plan to HUD before May 15. No formal vote or adoption occurred at the work session.

The presentation and plan materials are posted online; Fifield invited written errata and policy questions to be submitted before the plan returns for council action.