A Letter to the Editor from October 2006

Dear Readers of The Courier,

Many people in Lincoln complain about lots such as The Mill which are going unused. The City of Lincoln tried to solve this problem by selling The Mill to the highest bidder and the bidder has done nothing about the condition of The Mill. However, other communities have found a better way to deal with blight such as this.

The state of Kansas has a program whereby communities can give away free lots to people who are willing to build a house and live on the lot. Several rural communities in Kansas are taking advantage of this program. The program has a website where any can see some of the lots available and our city, county, and village leaders can gain a better understanding of what is being done. The website is www.kansasfreeland.com. Each community can choose to put restrictions on the people who become owners of the land. Most seem to have restrictions such as a contract to build the house must be established with a developer within 6 months, the new owner must move into the house within a year of signing the contract and the house cannot be a manufactured or mobile home. Some communities also have programs for businesses to become owners of free land as long as the business develops the land.

If the communities of Logan and Mason County had a similar program we could ensure that the new owners of our blighted lots could not simply let the condemned building sit the way the owner of The Mill has. In addition, it would make moving to or staying in Logan and Mason County more attractive by making it more affordable for businesses and for families.

Homestead Act

Can someone please explain to me the logic of repealing the Homestead Act? There still is open land in this country that people could occupy and it could give people the change to repopulate somewhere like Detroit with too much vacant land and the Great Plains that are emptying out.