C Street Co-op
About the Project
As we face our nation’s housing crisis, cities are struggling to accommodate a growing population in neighborhoods zoned exclusively for low-density, single-family housing—which comprises roughly two-thirds of the existing housing stock here in Oregon. In 2019, the state legislature addressed this issue head on by banning single-family zoning, and allowing "middle housing"—duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, cottage clusters, and townhouses—to be developed on these lots by right.
The C Street Co-op provides a model for infilling our single-family neighborhoods with resident-owned housing co-ops that increase density while maintaining the neighborhood character. From the the street, it looks no different than a single-family home with with an ADU in the rear. However, the two buildings are split into six one-bedroom suites owned by a 6-member limited-equity co-op (LEC). In order to maintaing permanent affordability, SquareOne acts as the community land trust (CLT), retaining ownership of the underlying land and providing technical assistance to the co-op.
The C Street Co-op opened in September 2021, and became the first housing in Oregon to combine a Limited Equity Co-op with a Community Land Trust.
This innovative and cost-effective project was developed in partnership with Cultivate. Total development cost were just $100,000 per one-bedroom suite, with just $20,000 per suite in one-time subsidies needed to achieve permanent affordability for househollds earning under 80% of the area median income. The intial buy-in price to become a member of the C Street Co-op was $10,000, and the co-op secured a blanket mortgage along with a small secondary loan to cover the remainder of the purchase.
A scalable "middle housing" model for developing resident-owned, infill housing on typical residential lots, permanently affordable to people with low-incomes.
Project Data
Location: 1075 C Street, Springfield, OR
Type: Limited Equity Co-op
Number of Suites: 6
Lot Size: 0.1 acres
Density: 60 suites/acre
Unit Mix: (6) 1-bedroom Suites
Status: Open since 2021
Permanently Affordable for: 80% area median income or under
Village Design & Sustainability
The development includes six one-bedroom, energy-efficient suites across two dwellings: a shared single-family home with four suites and an accessory dwelling unit with two suites. Each 384 sq. ft. suite includes private access, a bathroom, and kitchenette. The development site enjoys a walkable location, just a few minutes from downtown Springfield. Due to the small-footprint, open greenspace remains available as well as four off-street parking spaces. Area for a future storage shed is planned which can include bicycle parking, household storage, and a garden shed.
With well-insulated 2x8 walls, airtight construction, and triple-pane windows, the homes aim to be "net zero energy ready", with future rooftop solar panels able to generate as much energy as the homes use in a year. This also means very low energy bills. Simple, optimized construction practices keep this affordable. Durability is also a priority: lifetime warranty shingle roofing and fiber-cement siding are anticipated.
