The Bryan city council is expanding its promotion of new home construction.

The city will start buying empty lots at sheriff's sales where back taxes and other liens are due. And homebuilders who finish new homes on city-designated lots in 12 months will be eligible for a grant that's equal to 25 percent of the price of the lot.

The council at this week's meeting approved $300,000 dollars not previously approved in this year's budget to buy lots and $75,000 dollars for the homebuilders incentive.

Frank Clark of Bryan's economic development office says the return on the investment of the homebuilders incentive is four and a half years.

And the property tax revenue jumps from $50 dollars on an empty lot valued at $8,000 dollars, to $1,000 dollars when a $159,000 dollar home is built on that lot.

The purchase of lots and the homebuilders incentive will be administered through Bryan's commerce and development board, which is composed of the city council.