01-25-2013, 06:53 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Rob Tucker
The issue for Puna is that there are tens of thousands of empty lots that are filling up. Each and every property owner has the same right to build and occupy as you do. Growth here is inevitable.
Thats true. Unfortunately, when the lands here were subdivided so densely many decades ago, nobody had the foresight to see where it would lead. So what now?
One idea I had been thinking about for a while - Encourage existing residents to purchase adjacent vacant lots. The county or state could come up with many kinds of incentive programs to make it feasible for people to afford this. For example:
1. Give property tax breaks on the adjacent lots if they are kept by the same owner, or consolidated into larger lots.
2. Provide low/zero interest, low/no downpayment, easy to qualify, government guaranteed vacant land loans to residents with adjacent vacant lots.
Of course, not all vacant lots could be purchased, and some growth would still occur, but I think this would dramatically slow the growth rate and preserve the open space and quality of life. This will cost the county or state money, but it may not cost as much as putting in the massive infrastructure developments that would otherwise eventually be required if all these tens of thousands of empty lots were fully developed.
Just an idea.