An old tactic is being championed in the Midwest and Great Plains for economic and community development. Under what is being called "the mini-Homestead Act," rural places are offering free land to people willing to move to their community, and the idea is gaining popularity, reports the Center for Rural Affairs. The main concept behind this throwback to the 19th Century is: "We have a great town in which to live." (Photo: 10/11 News, Nebraska)Communities provide land for home building, schools and amenities; job-hunting is left up to newcomers. The Center for Great Plains Studies at the University of Nebraska has been studying the success of such programs. Several places in Kansas have capitalized on this idea. In Ellsworth, four of 10 available lots were given away, and 20 families got down-payment assistance for existing housing. Almost all 80 lots available in Marquette, Kan., were given away and 27 of 33 were claimed in Minneapolis, Kan. Most new homesteaders have either lived in these places before, traveled there or have family ties to the area.
Most move to these communities because they are looking for a "simpler pace of life, less congestion, lower cost housing and cost of living, and being closer to family and relatives," the Center for Rural Affairs reports. The center provides a FAQ page on its website with a list of resources for communities interested in the method and several local news stories about the trend. A list of other states where this has been successful, including contact information, is also available. (Read more)
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