City-selected APD Urban Planning + Management has begun a comprehensive housing condition study of Springfield.
Members of the consultant team are driving through north-side neighborhoods to review conditions, although they will review the entire city. The team will collect information on housing types, condition and unit counts of each housing unit. They will also evaluate neighborhoods for amenities, such as green space, sidewalks and trails.
A community engagement event will take place in February. Watch the City’s social media sites and springfieldmo.gov for updates.
“This will be a data driven study which will be used to identify citywide and neighborhood focused housing priorities and provide policy alternatives and intervention strategies to guide the City in decision making for future housing needs,” said Brendan Griesemer, assistant director of Planning & Development. “APD specializes in neighborhood planning/revitalization with an emphasis on housing. Their services are built around identifying existing strengths and assets and creating a vision and road map for improving the existing housing market and making permanent, high-quality housing achievable for residents.”
The assessment will be beneficial to Restore SGF, an initiative to increase home ownership, by providing important data needed to tailor programming to Springfield’s needs, including a detailed assessment of current housing conditions, demographics, market demands, housing gaps and strategies to mitigate these gaps. It will culminate with a written report with detailed recommendations and strategies for a neighborhood revitalization strategy/program and process to select and prioritize neighborhoods and corridors for planning work, resource allocation, plan implementation and progress measurement.
At its July 25, 2022 meeting, City Council approved Restore SGF’s $1 million request from the City’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) fund.
The ARPA funding, along with a $300,000 allocation from the City’s 2022-2023 fiscal year budget and investments totaling $240,000 disbursed over three years from Community Foundation of the Ozarks and several banking industry partners, will allow Restore SGF to hire staff and begin programming in the second quarter of 2023 with two grant programs – the Block Challenge Program and the Homeowner Improvement Program.
These programs are based on proven models in Des Moines, Iowa (Invest DSM) and other cities and will help residents make needed repairs, updates and renovations and improve the curb appeal of their properties, while at the same time encouraging them to engage with their neighbors.
Community Foundation of the Ozarks has pledged $20,000 over five years ($100,000 total) in grant funding for Restore SGF, plus $500,000 for the initiative’s revolving loan fund.
OakStar Bank, Commerce Bank, Old Missouri Bank, Great Southern Bank, Guaranty Bank, Arvest Bank and Legacy Bank have all committed $10,000 over three years ($30,000 total) in grant funding, while Central Bank has committed $20,000 over three years ($60,000 total) in grant funding. Great Southern Bank, Legacy Bank and Central Bank have each committed $250,000 for the revolving loan fund.
In addition to these commitments, many financial institutions have agreed to commit loan and mortgage dollars to Restore SGF’s targeted neighborhoods.