Trump: BLM ‘damaging economy,’ ‘impediment to growth’

a reply to: desert

Just because "The BLM controls over 85 percent of the land in Nevada," it doesn't mean that that is what drives land prices!

Of course it does!!! Our housing market is based on supply and demand... among other things.

Right now, rather than acting in ways that benefit the greater good -- and the natural rights of the people to have a place to live -- the government acts in ways that benefit developers and government and political critters.

Rather than selling the land to developers who want to make the greatest profit for themselves, those lands that are appropriate for housing should be GIVEN to the people via another Homestead Act, such as the Homestead Act of 1862, as originally intended and initially enacted.

The Homestead Act, enacted during the Civil War in 1862, provided that any adult citizen, or intended citizen, who had never borne arms against the U.S. government could claim 160 acres of surveyed government land.

Plenty of responsible and productive people would be happy to receive and develop even a fraction of that, and use their own resources to create homes and communities, thus increasing the supply of homes and properties and decreasing the artificially created pricing bubbles.

a reply to: Boadicea

I think we're talking about two different land uses. I'll bet Trump etal are talking about land for developers to buy and develop into housing. That needs paved roads, access to community water, sewer, utilities, etc. The BLM does sell land, but developers don't always want it.

Now, I can remember as a child homesteaded land of the Mojave Desert (and Las Vegas land is desert land). The BLM could give this land away to individuals, but individuals don't/can't always turn it into a homestead.

Example

The Last Homesteads of Wonder Valley, California

The desert is literally littered with failed housing dreams. Not just individuals but entire communities.

a reply to: desert

Thank you for the link -- very interesting. This project could be instructive in what NOT to do, and if we learn from those mistakes, we can do better going forward. I noted, for example, that this project seemed to grant leases rather than deeds, and were intended for vacation homes rather than primary residences.

With today's technology, I'm sure many of the challenges encountered by those pre-1950 would not present the same challenges today.

a reply to: Boadicea

Under the Homestead Act, I believe that once someone "proved up" their homestead, after five years they could apply for the title deed to their property.

I love the idea of applying today's technology to those land/housing challenges! One thing we forget nowadays is that native peoples lived in those dry areas long before Europeans came through. However, life was in very small communities, frugal and minimal housing and needs, and water was still a problem (collecting meager rainfall or living around where water did flow or spring up-- sparse locations in the desert)

Another thing to remember is that, for primary residences, one has to have an income to live off the land. Where would the jobs come from? How does one shop, visit a doctor? How do roads get built? Even the Depression Era miners/"settlers" who lived in the El Paso mountains in the Mojave had cars to drive into Los Angeles on roads, when needed.

The more community, the more infrastructure.

Check out this community. But, still, millions to develop. ....and, it is near Palm Springs!

I do see people living on individual plots of land, but, unless they have a well, they usually depend on trucking in water. High or low desert, the land is still a harsh mistress.

a reply to: desert

Thank you for the link -- that's really cool! Recycled shipping containers, rammed earth -- and probably much more. That's exactly what we need to be encouraging. There will no doubt be lessons to be learned, but as we do learn from such projects, it just means the next ones will be that much better. With good old American spirit and ingenuity, the ski is the limit! I find it all very exciting to ponder the possibilities and the good that could come of it.

The know-how is there, the will is there, the motivation is there... folks just need the opportunities.