SPRINGFIELD  (AP) - With the sour economy making it tougher for people to afford shelter, Springfield officials might allow homeless families to camp in recreational vehicles in church parking lots.

The program, similar to one in nearby Eugene, would be limited at first. City Manager Gino Grimaldi said only one RV per church parking lot would be permitted, and there would be fewer than a dozen churches taking part. "We want to see how it works," he said.

The City Council will have preliminary discussions on the issue this week. If eventually approved, the city would pay about $20,000 for portable restrooms, and evaluate the program after six months to see if it's worth extending.

The vehicles could either be owned by a family or donated, Grimaldi said. All families would be members of St. Vincent de Paul of Lane County's overnight parking program, where they are assigned a case manager and screened for drug use and criminal backgrounds. St. Vincent would be the first responder to citizen complaints about illegal parking.

"Our perception is that the need is as great or greater in Springfield than in Eugene," said Terry McDonald, executive director of the nonprofit that assists the poor.

In Eugene, the city contracts with St. Vincent to allow 45 such spots in church, private and public parking lots. The program has been around for a decade with few problems, said Richie Weinman, the city's urban services manager. "The number of complaints over the last 10 years we have received about people who are in legal spaces - like at churches and businesses - I can keep on one hand," he said.

Springfield police Chief Jerry Smith said it's better to have a camper in an assigned parking lot than on a randomly chosen side street. As for the program's chance for success, he said much will depend on what churches are involved and what neighborhoods they are in.