Editorial: Luverne gets an 'A' for effort

Talk about it

The community of Luverne is reaching out to prospective residents by doing more than simply touting the benefits of its fair city.

Thanks to a coordinated effort by the Luverne Economic Development Authority (LEDA) and the Luverne Area Chamber of Commerce, people can reap a tidy reward if they opt to settle in Luverne. At a time where national sales of homes and property has been sluggish, one has to credit Luverne officials with offering a little extra in the way of temptation.

The effort involves undeveloped lots in the Veterans subdivision or Evergreen First addition, with prices ranging from $15,000 to $17,500. Last month, LEDA announced a program that would pay $2,000 to each family member — up to $12,000 — once a certificate of occupancy is signed on a new home developed on one of the qualifying lots. Now, 59 Luverne businesses have offered a range of incentives of their own, ranging from gift certificates to coupons to giveaways.

It will be interesting to see how well Luverne’s promotion works, as relocation is obviously also dependent on job availability. But it’s tough to find fault in an effort that offers cold, hard cash while getting potential new residents in the doors of community businesses.

Tags: opinion, luverne, chamber, of, commerce, leda