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Estherville City Council Looking At Beefing Up An Incentive For Constructing New Homes

August 16, 2022 Steve Schwaller

(Estherville)– The Estherville City Council Monday evening discussed a possible new incentive to increase the city’s housing stock. City Administrator Penny Clayton says it stems from a recent study that shows 43 percent of the existing housing inventory in Estherville have construction deficiencies. She says the new program being proposed would provide incentives for projects that increase the value of existing homes and another for new construction. Clayton says the new construction incentive would be targeted for that part of Estherville known as “south town”…

“And it would be from 6th Avenue South down to 8th Avenue South, from South 9th Street over to South 12th Street. It’s an area of our town that has seen some better years and is in need maybe of a little revitalization.”

Councilman Dave Cihlar says while he would be in favor of such a program, he does not want it to include manufactured or trailer homes…

“I’m opposed to putting them in a new development and then we’re subsidizing them to boot.”

And councilman Roy Gage said the program would likely face opposition from some in the community after hearing concern from a constituent…

And she was adamant this just aint fair because if that guy goes in next door and he puts in a brand new house he’s not paying taxes and I’m sitting over here and I’m getting penalized and have to pay taxes.”

The council Monday evening directed city staff to put together a more formal proposal to be presented at their next meeting September 6th for further consideration.