By Ken Ward

Springfield Times Intern

LOWELL – The City of Lowell is looking for a few good families.

What began as a simple idea in the 1990s to build inexpensive homes by the lake has blossomed into a tangible project that has taken acts of Congress to continue.

The city has partnered with the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County for the Affordable Housing Project, which will offer qualified families 20 new, single-family homes on the southeast side of town by North Shore Drive and Wetleau Drive. After years of administrative problems, the partners are finally making some headway.

"We're just now getting to where we're actually getting the property transferred from the federal government," said Chuck Spies, Lowell city administrator. "It hasn't happened yet, but it should happen soon."

That comes as relief for Spies, who has been working on the project since starting his job six years ago.

Originally, the land in question was where the railroad ran through town. When the track was moved to what's now the south side of the Dexter reservoir, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers took over the land.

The Corps then transferred the land to Lane County. Eventually, a portion of land 200 feet wide was given to the City of Lowell.

With the construction of a new street and houses on both sides, the city decided it needed to buy the rest of the land from the Corps. The process needed federal legislation that finally passed in 2007.

"It basically took an act of Congress to get the Army Corps to finally move," said Anne Williams, Housing Programs director of St. Vincent de Paul.

For more on this and other news from around the Springfield area, be sure to pick up a copy of the March 5 issue of Springfield Times, available at news racks and stores all around the area. Look under the 'Newspaper Locations' link on this site to find out where. To subscribe to the paper, call 741-7368 or stop by 741 Main St.