NORTH VERNON, Ind. – The North Vernon Redevelopment Commission (NVRC) has created the North Vernon Housing Property Revitalization Program to provide incentives to home builders in amounts between $5,000 and $15,000 to create housing here in the City of North Vernon. The funds will incentivize builders to utilize vacant or blighted properties in an effort to help clean up blighted lots as well as create more housing opportunities and draw new residents to the area.
In 2018, a city housing study was conducted and subsequently revealed that the city was in need of approximately 400 residences in order to satisfy the market need for housing based on the number of houses available versus those looking for housing and the current population.
The hope with this new program is that builders will choose in fill lots and properties that are blighted, meaning they are visually unattractive to the eye as well as a potential threat to human health, safety, and public welfare, and clean them up.
Additionally, the program is hoping that new, affordable housing will draw in a new and younger generation to the community. The incentives fall under three categories: Vacant lots, Previously improved lots, and Undeveloped ground.
For properties that have viable reuse, the City of North Vernon will request proposals from developers, individuals, non-profit developers, for-profit developers, or partnerships including any type of development entity. Each application will need to identify the proposed reuse of the property, the scope of rehabilitation/construction, financing, property management, or other related information relevant to the details of their development.
The city will begin accepting proposals on March 6. Get more information and pick up an application now at the Office of Clerk-Treasurer, 143 E. Main St., in North Vernon. Applications will be available soon at northvernon-in.gov/.
