Legacy Trails Phase 3

We are celebrating the groundbreaking for the final phase of construction at the Legacy Trails Subdivision. Habitat for Humanity of Springfield, MO, has started the final phase of construction in the Legacy Trails Subdivision. This phase will complete the neighborhood's infrastructure, enabling us to build new homes for our partner homebuyers.

Event: Legacy Trails Phase 3 Groundbreaking - Invitation Only

Where: Northwest Springfield, MO

When: October, 2024

Located in northwest Springfield, MO, Legacy Trails is a development built in three phases with the first and second completed except for one lot in each. All homes were built by Habitat with Greene County helping to design the development with the hope to showcase low impact development. The neighborhood currently has 39 completed homes with a capacity for 15 more.

What will the development of Legacy Trails Phase 3 mean for the community?

• Housing instability and a shortage of safe, affordable housing were listed as “red flag issues” in the 2021 Community Focus Report. This phase will provide 13 safe, stable, and affordable homes to families in need, offering shelter for 45 to 75 children and adults, addressing critical housing instability in Springfield.
• For every dollar invested by HFHS, $1.66 is inserted into the local economy, meaning this $2,699,184 development will put $4,489,645 into the Greene County economy.
• Homeowners are more likely to be engaged in the community than renters.
• Children growing up in safe, stable homes are more likely to succeed in school and less likely to experience emotional or behavioral problems.
• Current residents of Legacy Trails are excited about the prospect of expanding the neighborhood! They will get a full community, make connections with new neighbors, and have increased HOA capabilities.

Legacy Trails Wins 2nd Place in Neighborhood of the Year

As part of the University of Missouri Engaged Neighbor Program, the Habitat Springfield Legacy Trails subdivision was one of the 2nd place winners in the Neighborhoods USA team category of Neighborhood of the Year, Multi-Neighborhoods Projects in June 2022!

The Legacy Trails neighborhood has participated in the University of Missouri Extension-Greene County’s Engaged Neighbor Program, and they applied for a grant and were awarded some funds to assist with their mailbox shelter maintenance project. Habitat donated one mailbox structure that needs to be replaced in the neighborhood. Neighborhood volunteers are working on replacing parts of the mailbox structures, mailboxes, and shingles that need to be replaced and are painting them. It is going to be an ongoing project.

There are many Greene County neighborhoods that are taking part in the Engaged Neighbor Program and have different neighboring projects going on. It is a good, positive approach to connection, security, healthy living, and beautification.

Low Impact Development

Through low impact development (LID), the Legacy Trails neighborhood demonstrates Habitat Springfield’s commitment to both environmental stewardship and the goal of creating safe, decent and affordable homes in partnership with families in need.
By limiting the number of homes to 55, instead of the 72 allowed by county regulations, Habitat maximized the subdivision’s green space. LID is an ecologically friendly approach to site development and storm water management that minimizes development impacts to land, water, and air.
When Habitat released the LID plan for Legacy Trails in 2005, LID was undocumented in this region. Experts say that green space and landscape in neighborhoods aids in:

• Providing a positive atmosphere for children
• Enriching relationships among neighbors
• Lowering crime
• Some aspects of Legacy Trails’ LID include:
• Native plants and grasses to minimize required maintenance and make the subdivision attractive in all seasons
• Bioretention areas to retain and filter storm-water runoff
• Curbless streets designed to limit storm-water runoff
• A development that minimizes both environmental impacts and project costs, and adds value and beauty to the site

Legacy Trails is a collaborative effort among many organizations that recognize the benefits of LID, including the City of Springfield, the Missouri Department of Conservation, the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks, USDA-NRCS, Greene County SWCD, Bailey Alternative School of Springfield, Master Gardeners, and University Extension.
LID will continue to be a key focus in the development of Legacy Trails Phase 3. Habitat Springfield is pleased to have the opportunity to be good stewards of the land we develop and good neighbors to the community at large.