APPLICATIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR TWO PUBLIC LOTTERIES FOR SIX NEW AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES IN SPRINGFIELD

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, Chief Development Officer Tim Sheehan, in partnership with the developers, Home City Development and Way Finders, are pleased to announce two lotteries to choose the purchasers of six brand new, energy-efficient single-family homes in Springfield’s Upper Hill neighborhood.

“Housing is a crucial component for peace of mind, to have a stable roof over your head so you can go to work, feed your family, and one day hopefully give back to the community,” Mayor Sarno stated. “Housing and homeownership is also a critical aspect of building generational wealth and prosperity. These home lotteries are transformational times two – the property is transformed which lifts up the neighborhood and the lottery winner’s life is transformed which lifts up the community. I want to take a moment to thank all of our dedicated housing professionals for your heartfelt efforts to strengthen housing opportunities. Thank you to our partner developers on these projects, Way Finders and Home City Development, for recognizing the importance of equal housing opportunities and for your caring efforts. Thank you to all who took the time to apply and invest in our Springfield.”

These homes are part of a 2 new homeownership projects, City of Homes, led by Way Finders, and Old Hill Infill, led by Home City Development. These initiatives have already selected the purchasers of 6 other newly constructed homes in the neighborhood. Like those, these homes will be sold at a deep discount, well below their market value. The goals of the City of Homes and Old Hill Infill projects are:

• Revitalize vacant city-owned properties through new construction and bring them back onto the tax rolls.

• Benefit neighborhoods and nearby homeowners by reducing blight and improving property values.

• Create wealth-building opportunities for first-time homebuyers in Springfield.

“Through City of Homes, we offer families in Springfield the opportunity to own a clean, efficient, and affordable home,” says Keith Fairey, Way Finders President and CEO. “The buyer of this home will have a stable and predictable place to live. A consistent school district for their children. The opportunity to build family wealth. The neighborhood will be improved, and the City will receive new property tax revenue. It’s a triple win which we look forward to replicating with more new homes in Springfield over the coming months and years.”

“We are proud to continue our partnership with Mayor Sarno and the City of Springfield in bringing these homes to market. This project demonstrates what is possible when public investment, community vision, and strong partnerships come together,” said Justin Rudgick, Executive Director of Home City Development, Inc. “These next five homes represent the continuation of our commitment to expanding affordable homeownership opportunities for Springfield residents — and to building the kind of generational wealth that makes a lasting difference for families in Old Hill and across our city.”

LOTTERY #1

524 UNION STREET

This beautiful home will be sold for $210,000 to a family earning 80% Area Median Income (AMI) or less. The new, energy efficient home is approximately 1,400 square feet and features 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. 

The City of Springfield will hold a public lottery to select the buyer eligible to purchase this newly constructed home.  To be eligible to enter the lottery, applicants must meet household income-limits and be pre-approved (not pre-qualified, which is a much less stringent classification) for a mortgage of $210,000 or more. Alternately, an applicant may enter the lottery by demonstrating pre-approval for a smaller mortgage, along with proof of sufficient additional funds (savings, gift, down payment assistance, etc.) to cover the purchase price of the home. 

Household income of applicants cannot exceed maximum limits at time of purchase. The current income limits are: 

              Maximum Household Income – 80% AMI 

Lottery applications can be found here: https://www.cognitoforms.com/CityOfSpringfield1/CITYOFHOMES2HOMEBUYERLOTTERYAPPLICATION

Interested parties can learn more about the Way Finders City of Homes project at www.wayfinders.org/homes. 

An Open House for interested purchasers will take place at on Thursday September 10, 2026 5:00 – 7:00 PM.

All applications (and supporting documentation) must be received by 4:30 PM on September 25, 2026. The lottery drawing is scheduled to take place on MONDAY OCTOBER 5, 2026 10:15 AM.

LOTTERY #2

541 Union St., 80 Melrose St., 81 Melrose St., 63 Lebanon Street, & 99 Lebanon Street

Each of these homes will be sold for $215,000 to a family earning up to 100% Area Median Income (AMI). All of these houses feature the same design and open floorplan. They each have 1,821 sf of living space and include 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, energy efficient mechanicals and appliances, first floor laundry, and an attached garage.

The City will hold a public lottery to select the buyers eligible to purchase these newly constructed homes.  To be eligible to enter the lottery, applicants must meet household income-limits and be pre-approved (not pre-qualified, which is a much less stringent classification) for a mortgage of $215,000 or more. Alternately, an applicant may enter the lottery by demonstrating pre-approval for a smaller mortgage, along with proof of sufficient additional funds (savings, gift, down payment assistance, etc.)  to cover the purchase price of the home. 

Household income of applicants cannot exceed maximum limits, which are set annually. The current income limits are: 

              Maximum Household Income – 100% AMI 

Lottery applications can be found here: https://www.cognitoforms.com/CityOfSpringfield1/OLDHILLINFILL2HOMEBUYERLOTTERYAPPLICATION

Interested parties can learn more about the Old Hill Infill project at https://oldhillhomeownership.com/

Open Houses for interested purchasers will take place at 81 Melrose Street at on Thursday September 24, 2026 from 4:00 - 6:00 PM and Saturday September 26, 2026 from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM.

All applications (and supporting documentation) must be received by 4:30 PM on October 19, 2026. The lottery drawing is scheduled to take place on FRIDAY NOVEMBER 6, 2026 10:30 AM.