# Free land article



## mustangsally17 (Nov 3, 2007)

7 Towns Where Land is Free 
By Colleen Kane , CNBC.com 
Nov 17, 2010 Provided by: Share
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Buzz up! 191 votes SendPrintShare this pageFacebookTwitterMyspaceDeliciousDiggStumbleUponAs small towns suffer from a continuing flight from rural toward-more urban living, some economic development groups and governments in these troubled areas have chosen to stay and fight.



Curtis, Nebraska, Courtesy curtis-ne.com 


The Homestead Act of 1862 is no longer in effect, but free land is still available out there in the great wide open (often literally in the great wide open). In fact, the town of Beatrice, Nebraska has even enacted a Homestead Act of 2010 .

As with the homesteaders of the 1800s, the new pioneers must not be the faint of heart-they can't be the type to shy away from the trials of building a home from the ground up, or the lack of Starbucks on every corner, or unpaved roads (extremely remote location and lack of infrastructure is probably what caused a well-publicized land giveaway in Anderson, AK to flop). If the satellite view of the vast open space surrounding the modest street grids of these towns doesn't instill cabin fever, then read on-these parcels are up for land grabs.




Marne, Iowa
Marne is a southwestern Iowa community with a population of just 149 or so, about 60 miles from Omaha and 80 miles from Des Moines. It was never a big town (pop. 617 in 1875), but the head count really began declining around the turn of last century, through the teens and 20s. "The decline of the family farm affects rural areas like this, says Mayor Randy Baxter. "Back in the â60s and â70s, there more smaller farms, and small towns supported the folks in the country, but now those homes aren't there anymore."

In hopes of boosting that number, the Marne Housing and Development Corp has made four free lots available :3 for private and 1 for commercial use. The first family to take advantage of the free land moved onto their new property the fall of 2008, also availing funds from the USDA's Rural Development Agency for building their home, and they qualified for $10,000 down payment assistance from the Southwest Iowa Planning Council.

To take advantage of the free land in Marne, applicants need only to submit a proposed floor plan for the house they want to build. It's not restrictive, but Baxter notes that it must be within reason-- no trailer homes, no horses or livestock. Among the unreasonable proposals for the land: "They want to bring a camper in hogs, or store junk there."

New Richland, MN
New Richland is a town of about 1200 in southern Minnesota, 75 miles from the outskirts of the Twin Cities, offering lake recreation and many fine churches. If this sounds like home, then consider a free 86' x 133' lot on the Homestake subdivision on the northwest side of town. Those who claim lots must build a house on the property within one year.

The land itself is free, but assessments for services provided by the town such as streets, curb and gutter, water and sewer. The fee for these is about $25,000, which suddenly sounds a lot less like "free," but through Tax Increment Financing this number is reduced to about $14,000 for qualified candidates, which is paid over 15 years on a semi-annual basis along with real estate taxes.

Kansas
Kansas has so much free land offered throughout the state by local Kansan governments and development groups that there's an online hub to organize all the information, the appropriately named Kansas Free Land .

"Most rural areas in Kansas have been declining in population since 1900, so rural Kansas communities either fight or disappear," says Jenny Russell, Republic County Economic Development Coordinator for Republic County in northern Kansas.

Her county has opted to fight. Republic County has a free land option available for the right industry and free residential lots throughout its communities for new home construction. Russell cites the area's rural advantages: very low overhead costs compared to cities, and "With developing technologies, businesses are now able to conduct their operations from almost anywhere."

Kansas Free Land links to more than a dozen communities, from Herndon, population 124, to Wilson, population 9,698, each with their own offers and requirements.



Beatrice, Nebraska 


Beatrice, NE
One city in southeastern Nebraska that reaped the benefits of the original Homesteading Act of 1862 has created a new version of what worked so well before. The Homestead Act of 2010 offers several parcels of land for free on a first-come, first-served basis. As with the original act, applicants must occupy their parcels of land for five years.

With a population of about 12,564 and situated just 40 miles south of Lincoln (via the Homestead Expressway) and 99 miles from Omaha, Beatrice is one of the most populous and more accessible locations on this list. In this case, the aim is not to stave off the death of a town with a dwindling population, but to clean up neglected properties and get them to generate taxes and utility fees once again.

Muskegon, MI
Hoping to attract industrial employers, the city and county of Muskegon, Michigan, (pop. 174,344) launched Muskegon 25. Under this program, companies that will bring in 25 full-time jobs or more will be granted industrial park property for building, complete with all services, gratis. In addition, the industrial parks are situated in low tax "Renaissance Zones."

Muskegon Area First is hoping to attract food processing industry, other suppliers for local industries, and alternative energy providers. New or existing companies creating 25 jobs are allotted five acres, 50 jobs get 12 acres, 75 jobs get 20 acres, and 100 or more jobs get 20 acres. The program also provides discounts at rates proportionate to the amount of jobs created. The 25-job companies are entitled to 50% off water and sewer bills, and the discounts increase from there, down to 20% of the full rate.

State business credits and other tax incentives are also available. To sweeten the deal further, the city will even throw in tickets to Lumberjacks hockey season tickets or a local boat slip to qualified participating companies.

Curtis, NE
Curtis is known as Nebraska's Easter City due to its famed 40-year-old Easter Pageant tradition. This 3.266-square-kilometer community of approximately 832 persons in southern Nebraska's Medicine Valley has the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture and an airport three minutes away.

Sound good? All righty, then: Curtis offers two options for free-land claimers. Consolidated Companies, Inc. created Roll 'n Hills lots to boost the local economy by providing free sites on paved streets with all utilities for single-family homes. Three of those lots now have occupied homes, says Ed Coles of Consolidated, and nine remain.

Additional free lots are available through the city of Curtis that overlook the all-grass nine-hole Arrowhead Meadows Golf Course, which is one of the best public courses in the state-at least according to Medicine Valley's economic development website .

Camden, ME
Camden is the coastal exception in this otherwise-landlocked list of free land locales. The charming New England berg of about 4,052 citizens is offering 3.5 acres of land near Camden Harbor for a business that will create at least 24 jobs .The former industrial site on the Megunticook River, refurbished by the Town of Camden, comes equipped with 3 Phase Power, Sewer, Water, Cable, Broadband, and parking is available for up to 300.

Clearly, this is a prime deal for the right company. The Town of Camden is hoping for a company from industries such as biotech, information technology, financial services, medical labs, film, or green businesses. In fact, those last two listed industries are encouraged, as creative economy employers are encouraged and environmentally friendly businesses are given preference in this


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## tiogacounty (Oct 27, 2005)

I've been in the Anderson Ak. are a few times. I really admire anybody who succeeds in making a go of that area. I'm not ashamed to admit, I'm simply not tough enough to endure those winters. As for the rest of the list, there are a lot of opportunities in those areas for a much better outcome with an inexpensive property closer to jobs, medical facilities, civilization, etc..... as compared to the free stuff they offer. The MN. development with the $25K in fees is a hoot! A third of an acre with the kind of fees you see in places like Southern California, and you end up in nowhere in the great white north? It sounds like an intelligence test to me. You accept their offer and they say, "no. were were just kidding, anybody dumb enough to fall for that isn't somebody we would want anyway".


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## Seeria (Jul 21, 2006)

Don't know the other places but Muskegon is a possible place but too crowded (and for employers). On the shores, some decent areas there. Downer is it is a filth city from my experience. Too much drugs, too much grime and decay. Winters are a bit harsh being on the lake but no more so really than these Wisconsin ones. Heck, I did north of Muskegon for couple years and the UP all on lake side. brrrrr

Checking it out more I must say I could handle Beatrice IF it wasn't small lots. Looking at images and layout. Doesn't loan itself well to homesteading. Urbansteading maybe but something tells me they'd freak if you turned the place into animal barn and a giant garden.


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## RW kansas hogs (Nov 19, 2010)

The Kansas "Free Land" Towns are so small and most of them have no employment opportunities what so ever. Yes they would be a great place to raise a family but where is mom & dad going to work? Ive been in most of these towns and the residents drive to the closest "Bigger City" to save money on buying things. Yes the land is "Free" but the house you build isnt (if it meets the citys approaval), Then you have to pay to bring the utilities in from the curb. Elec,Water,Sewer. Sure it would be great if a person has $300,000 to build with an a Million in the bank to live off of


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## Mickie3 (Aug 28, 2010)

RW kansas hogs said:


> The Kansas "Free Land" Towns are so small and most of them have no employment opportunities what so ever. Yes they would be a great place to raise a family but where is mom & dad going to work? Ive been in most of these towns and the residents drive to the closest "Bigger City" to save money on buying things. Yes the land is "Free" but the house you build isnt (if it meets the citys approaval), Then you have to pay to bring the utilities in from the curb. Elec,Water,Sewer. Sure it would be great if a person has $300,000 to build with an a Million in the bank to live off of


That being the case, who would you get to build your new home? 

Also, from the "free land" deals that I have seen in cities, the land is in neighborhoods that you would have to carry a gun openly and be ready to use it at any time to live in. Kind of like the old west, only drug dealers, not cowboys are the ones shooting up the neighborhoods.  Not like anyone can sell that land, thats why its _free_.


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## sunflower-n-ks (Aug 7, 2006)

http://www.marquetteks.org/land.html

Just as an example - every town is different. If a person wanted a house and yard, this looks doable. They will accept a modular home, assessments seem realistic for new, etc. They say special assessments are $5 K plus. Just a water meter where I am is over 3 K, if you are allowed one. Not a "farm", but a home.

Most of the towns that are offering free land in Kansas are trying to "NOT" become a ghost town. They are not going to make it too difficult for new families to move there. Another grade school just closed a few miles away. Kids are being bused longer and longer distances to go to school because the towns are losing populations and resources. That town will now lose more of the families that live there now. Another step toward it becoming a ghost town. I would not want to put a first grade child on a bus for a 20 mile ride to school.


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## JimB (Feb 1, 2010)

I am originally from KS I love it there but like was said its just small places trying to keep a place on the map. $25,000 fees to move to there neighborhood is a hoot remember you get what you pay for sounds to me like a to good to be true. If its truly free there wont be absurd restrictions or fees then you know they mean what they say not trying to hook you into spending a buck.


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