Council approves DevNW plan and $100,000 in ARPA funds to build six income‑qualified townhomes on South 52nd Street

Springfield — The City Council voted unanimously to award a city‑owned quarter‑acre parcel on South 52nd Street and $100,000 in one‑time American Rescue Plan Act funds to DevNW to develop six income‑qualified townhouses.

Katie Carroll, the city’s housing analyst, told councilors the property was acquired under state/county transfer rules for public use and that the city ran a request for proposals this summer to find a developer. Carroll said the single responsive proposal, from DevNW, would produce six three‑bed, two‑bath townhomes with one unit fully ADA accessible and the others meeting first‑floor visitability standards. The units would be sold to households at 80% of area median income or below under a community land trust (CLT) model, which separates ownership of the land from ownership of the dwelling to preserve long‑term affordability.

“DevNW’s proposal was scored by an evaluation committee and exceeded minimum thresholds,” Carroll said. She told the council staff paired $100,000 in ARPA funding with the property transfer to help the project move forward.

Nora Cronin, DevNW’s director of real estate development, told councilors the CLT model keeps homes affordable over time and that resale restrictions make units easier to re‑sell at the program’s price point to other income‑qualified buyers. “The house does appreciate,” Cronin said, adding the program intends to limit resale formulas so future buyers remain eligible. She also said DevNW is exploring a new state mortgage product, called Amplify, designed to accelerate mortgage payoff for buyers.

Councilors asked about resale, equity and parking. Councilor Blackwell, an evaluation committee member, said DevNW’s packet was thorough and that the project team addressed questions about funding risk. Councilor Buck praised the proposal’s attention to parking and accessibility.

Councilor Rodley moved to authorize the city manager to negotiate and execute documents to transfer the South 52nd Street property (map/tax lot 17‑02‑33‑34‑00800) and award $100,000 in ARPA funds to DevNW to develop six units under the terms in the RFP and proposal; the motion was seconded and passed 6‑0.

Votes at a glance - Motion to authorize property transfer and award $100,000 ARPA to DevNW: Passed 6‑0. - Consent calendar: Approved 6‑0 earlier in the meeting. - Ratification of three‑year SEIU collective bargaining agreement: Approved 6‑0.

What happens next The city manager will negotiate and execute final documents with DevNW and staff indicated DevNW would apply for additional state housing funds in upcoming funding rounds in 2026. The project’s timeline and any additional funding awards were not specified in the meeting record.