The Luverne Economic Development Authority is offering a $2,500 credit per person on the price of residential lots in the Manfred Heights Addition.
The city has previously offered this incentive to buyers considering lots in other housing developments, but the LEDA agreed to extend the offer to Manfred Heights lots as well.
The city developed the 33-acre northern housing subdivision in 2008 as 32 lots — eight reserved for twin homes — ranging in price from $28,000 to $45,000 per lot.
Today the twin homes around the Blue Ridge Circle cul de sac are completed and sold, as are 14 single-family lots.
Now, more than 10 years later, the city has paid off the debt on the lot improvements so the discounts on the remaining 15 lots are financially justified.
At Monday’s meeting the LEDA approved a sales incentive to spur sales and generate more property taxes.
With the $2,500 per person credit, a family of four would receive a $10,000 discount on a lot if they built a new house in the Manfred Heights Addition.
According to EDA director Holly Sammons, the offer has been attractive to dozens of buyers who bought lots in Evergreen and Veterans additions with the credit after it was first offered in 2008 at $2,000 per person.
The idea then, as it is now, was to attract younger families with children to be involved in the school and contribute to community vibrance.
Qualifying household members are younger than 18 years old and living with the applicant at the time of application.
The grant has a cap of $12,500, which would cover a family of five.
The Manfred lot discount comes at the same time the lots hit the market in the new Uithoven Addition on the west edge of Luverne. (See the related story).
“Manfred Heights used to be our newest and most expensive development, but now we’re having a new baby with the Uithoven Addition, which is getting all the attention,” Sammons said.
“We hope to encourage new construction in the Manfred Addition by making those lots more affordable.”
In addition to the 15 lots in Manfred Heights, another eight are available in Evergreen II, four in Evergreen First Addition, one in the Veterans Addition and three in the Sybesma Addition near the Good Samaritan Society housing.