Iowa town asks: If you give them free land, will they come?

Every single home matters in a community of 120 people.

Each house serves as a crucial piece of the local tax base, keeping the town from fading away.

That’s why people like Marne Mayor Randy Baxter have surgically removed the town’s dilapidated homes over the years.

That’s why the city will give away residential lots for free to anyone willing to build a new home.

USA Today NetworkKevin Hardy, The Des Moines Register

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/nation-now/2018/04/02/iowa-town-asks-if-you-give-them-free-land-they-come/478993002/

Second of two parts. Part I: How communities solve rural housing crisis https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2018/03/28/rural-iowa-housing-crisis-homes-sale-real-estate-market/412289002/