







ALASKA









The history of homesteads in Alaska began in the 1860s but has always been a bit slow due to poor weather and soils. The Alaskan government continues to encourage the settlement and developing of land and resources in the area. This process is regulated by the Department of Natural Resources in Alaska. It is common to have land available to the public through two types of program. The first is a sealed-bid auction program. The parcels are awarded to the highest bidder, and any land not sold is available at an appraised value. The second program is the Remote Recreational Cabin Sites. This allows the applicant to own land for recreational use in a designated remote staking area.









IOWA









In some towns in Iowa, there have been programs to boost the economy and community there. One such town is Marne, Iowa. Here the Marne Housing and Development Corp have made several lots available for both private and commercial use. There are some restrictions such as what type of house can be built, and what animals are allowed. In order to apply, applicants must submit a proposed house floor plan for review.





KANSAS









There are several towns in Kansas that have created incentives to bring more people into their community to live and work. The primary goal of this program is to use the local government to help in development of communities that are currently suffering economically. Cities include Lincoln, Marquette, Osborne, and Plainville.





The “free land” program stemmed from the Homestead Act in 1862. Settlers were allowed to claim up to 160 acres of land after working on it for five years or more. The program now is meant to help ensure that declining populations in Kansas do not entirely disappear.





Each city has specific guidelines and an application inviting people to apply to the free residential lots. Most of the time free lots are available only for families who can build a new home within a certain period, and they usually will have specific size requirements. There is usually an interview process with the local city council as well.





MICHIGAN









There are certain places in Michigan that also are offering free land in exchange for services. If you own a business, this is a good place to move to receive many benefits. In the city of Muskegon, there currently is a program called Muskegon 25 that offers free industrial property to help in creating jobs in the area. It prides itself in being one of the most comprehensive development incentive packages in the United States. Both new and existing companies are allowed to apply, and they will also receive discount rates as well.





There are many programs in various towns in other states that also offer similar incentives and benefits to the ones listed above. If having free land for a small cost in other areas such as housing and building fees is something that interests you, you will be keen to find out that there are many options available.