Their are towns across America that once had good jobs and nice communities: Then, the jobs left and the local economies hit rock bottom, never to recover. Since their are no longer enough jobs within a reasonable driving distance, this has also negatively affected both the number of residents, the condition of local real estate and its value.
I propose creating a Federal fund to purchase distressed properties, residential, commercial, and agricultural in rural, and economically depressed zip codes that have usable, but currently closed manufacturing or agricultural facilities in good enough shape to be easily retrofitted and reopened.
Allow families to “homestead” the properties at a very low cost and use a model like Habitat for Humanity’s sweat equity program, to allow people to pay for down payments or improvements via labor instead of cash. Focus on offering these opportunities to people living in both low income urban areas and other more remote low income rural areas (where such a project would not be possible).
Allow charter schools and offer specialized vocational education programs to quickly educate a local workforce with the specific skills needed to fill jobs that re-opening shuttered companies would bring.
Incentivize businesses to move into the abandoned commercial/manufacturing facilities by giving them tax breaks, and grants for new machinery: Giving priority to small business owners who want to expand operations rather than large multi-national companies. Offer subsidies for the first several years of operations, until the local economies stabilizes.
Encourage farming principles that employ rotational grazing, rather than feedlot operations for large animals and focus on organic and sustainable farming practices for all plant based farms. Again, offer education and establish a mentoring system to help the new farmers.
Also, reliable high speed internet would need to be available in all these locations.
1 Like
Exactly - seems to me this would reflect the Amish way of doing things which has actually worked well for them for more than 175 years in America - I know I grew up near the community in Ohio . Best practical hands on model for business, farming, and just plain high quality of life living I have seen in my lifetime - we need to get back to the basics and teach our children it is a path to a peaceful, prosperous and happy life .
Appreciate the thought and effort to bring attention to the issues plaguing our rural communities (jobs, education, and new infrastructure needed for local economies). Great job!