Who We Are
Lumi Homes
Lumi Homes, Inc. was created as a non-profit corporation in January, 2025 to build workforce housing in Cook County, MN. The story of Lumi Homes began in late 2023 when Jane Penner, a summer resident of Grand Marais purchased a parcel of land within the city limits of Grand Marais, MN. Jane’s intent was to develop lots that had connection to city sanitary sewer and city water and sell them at a break even cost to folks that live and work in Cook County…no second homes, no vacation rentals. Why do this? Because Jane saw what was happening in Cook County, that those that lived and worked in the County were struggling because home prices were sky rocketing. She recognized the desperate need for employees at the hospital, at the health clinic, at the Sheriff’s Department, at the local government level…employees that could not buy a home in Grand Marais not because they were not employed and qualified to purchase a home, but because all the inventory of homes were being snatched up by investors and second home owners who were willing to outbid the locals with cash and higher purchase prices.
Jane created Nanapush LLC in 2024 as the development company to what is the Norra Skogen Common Interest Community located off East 5th Street in downtown Grand Marais. Jane’s intention is to sell the lots at Norra Skogen at an “at cost” price. The costs to develop the lots of Norra Skogen far exceeded the original expectations- it was discovered that extensive blasting for water and sewer pipes was necessary, and the installation of a storm water management system that connects to the City stormwater system was required. In order to keep the lot costs as low as possible, Nanapush LLC applied for funding through the IRRR and the Cook County HRA in Summer 2025. In late October 2025, that funding was awared to Nanapush LLC to finish the installation of the infrastructure for the Norra Skogen Development.
Jane and her Realtor® Kim Wolff quickly realized that developing the land was only the first hurdle in building affordable workforce housing in Grand Marais.
Most builders were a year or two out from being able to build one home, let alone the building of 12 homes. Jane and Kim decided to form a Non-Profit construction company that has engaged a local builder to solely work on the building of homes at Norra Skogen. Kim Wolff volunteers as a project manager, and offers real estate services at zero compensation both of which work to save on the final cost of a home. Through thoughtful design, the homes will be built efficiently one after the other and have a cohesive nature to the development. Because Lumi Homes, Inc. is a non-profit, receiving donations from folks like Jane, from those who recognize that in their enjoyment of their second homes, they need a great local workforce, is essential to the cause. As Jane said, when her daughter falls from a tree and injures herself, she wants to have good emergency services available! From this, Lumi Homes, Inc. was born.
LUMI HOMES, INC’s FIRST PROJECT:
NORRA SKOGEN
Norra Skogen (Swedish for “Northern Forest”) is a workforce housing development currently being developed in the City of Grand Marais, MN. The goal is to develop 12 lots on which homes can be built that will comprise a Common Interest Community (CIC) whose by-laws and covenants restrict home ownership to people who live and work in Cook County. Additionally, the Norra Skogen HOA will prohibit the use of the properties as second homes or short-term rentals. The buyers of the lots will be encouraged to work with Lumi Homes, Inc. to build the homes. Lumi Homes, Inc. is working with SALA Architecture to provide buyers with a selection of architectural plans for homes of different sizes that comply with the Norra Skogen HOA. These plans will be designed to be attractive, to fit on a narrow/small lot, and to be efficient to build.
Lumi Homes has engaged a local 20+ year experienced building contractor who agreed to take on the Norra Skogen project beginning June, 2026. Lumi Homes will also hire high school graduates (or other interested persons) that want to learn carpentry from an experienced contractor with “on the job” training by building the Norra Skogen homes. The goal is to not only build homes for the local workforce, but to create jobs in Grand Marais where folks can learn the proper building methods from an experienced builder. Those folks can then go out in to the building labor force where there is high demand for skilled and trained carpenters and tradespeople.
Progress To date
Late Fall
Blasting of the main line infrastructure, installation of the water, sanitary sewer, and storm water sewer lines to the City infrastructure was completed.
January
The City of Grand Marais approved the Final Plat for the Norra Skogen Development.
Fall/Winter
The remainder of the site infrastructure, storm water management system and roadwork will be completed in Late Fall 2025 and into Spring 2026 if necessary.
Summer
The building of homes will begin in Early Summer and will continue throughout the year to complete as many homes as possible. The goal is to build homes as efficiently and quickly as there are buyers for the homes until all 12 homes are built for our Local Workforce!
Beyond Norra Skogen
Norra Skogen is a “proof of concept” development that, hopefully, will demonstrate the feasibility of developing affordable workforce housing in Cook County using an at-cost pricing model. If successful, Lumi Homes, Inc. will purchase and develop additional buildable lots and build additional homes, funded by a combination of donations and grants. Each Spring, more students would be hired to learn the construction trade, and experienced students would find good employment with contractors in the community who are in desperate need of skilled labor.
DONATIONS TO LUMI HOMES, INC.
Lumi Homes, Inc. was formed and incorporated on January 29, 2025 as a Minnesota non-profit corporation, pursuant to the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, Section 317A. The corporation is organized and shall be operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes, as contemplated and permitted by Sections 170(c)(2) and 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, including for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Within the framework and limitations of the foregoing, the Corporation is organized and shall be operated to increase the availability of affordable and workforce housing opportunities for the residents of Cook County, Minnesota, who desire to live within the communities they serve, and to aid, benefit, assist, and contribute to the support of corporations, associations, trusts, foundations, government agencies,
and other institutions that are organized and operated exclusively for one or more purposes described in 2 Sections 170(c)(2) and 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and are exempt from federal income taxes under Section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code as organizations described in Section 501(c)(3) thereof.
In line with this, Lumi Homes, Inc. received its official approval from the Department of Treasury Internal Revenue Service Tax Exempt and Government Entities as a 509(a)(2) Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 501(c)(3) Charitable Organization on September 12, 2025, effective January 29, 2025. Donors may deduct contributions made to Lumi Homes, Inc. under IRC Section 170. Lumi Homes, Inc. is also qualified to receive tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers or gifts under Sec. 2055, 2106, or 2522.
The Fundraising Goals for
Lumi Homes, Inc.
Lumi Homes has set lofty fundraising goals for 2025. Early in the process of working with low income buyers for workforce housing, Lumi learned that low income buyers have some really great funding/mortgage opportunities when purchasing an existing home. Therefore, it is the goal of Lumi Homes to fundraise to build a home for re-sale. Your donations will contribute to the building of the homes, including but not limited to the following:
Paying the builder and student workers and providing them with the necessary tools to build the homes
Paying for materials which in turn will reduce the finished cost of the homes
Paying for sub-contractor labor to build the homes which in turn will reduce the finished cost of the homes
Down payment assistance to a buyer as allowed by their lender
Accounting and legal expenses to maintain Lumi Homes, Inc. as a Non-Profit.
Lumi Homes is Comprised of a Volunteer
Board of Directors
Jane Penner
President
Kim Wolff
Secretary & Treasurer
John Oberholtzer
Board Member