花錢出地請你來住的六大城市

有的城市人滿為患，巴不得很多人搬走；有的城市卻為了吸引人們居住，而不惜倒貼錢。讓我們一起來看看這些城市，是不是真有這樣的便宜可占呢？

In the face of declining or slowing population growth， some cities have decided to get aggressive1） about their survival. Some cities are giving away free land， while others are literally handing out stacks2） of cash to folks who agree to move. If you're in the mood for a new town， why not have the town pay to have all of your awesomeness？ Here are the 6 cities that really， really want you to move ...

面對人口增長銳減或緩慢這一形勢，一些城市為求生存，已經決定積極展開行動。對于愿意遷入者，有的城市免費贈送土地，有的城市則實打實地發放大把鈔票。如果你有意換個新城鎮住住，何不讓這個新城鎮為你的心中所想買單呢？下面六個城市真心希望你搬去它們那里居住。

Detroit， Michigan， U.S.

We all know the trouble Detroit has had in recent years and it seems they've decided to do something.

For starters， the town is giving away 100 beaten—down3） homes that are in need of some TLC4）. They'll even give you $150，000 to help with the renovations5）. Some of the houses are pretty cool looking， but they'll no doubt need more than $150，000 in repairs ...

Another program in Detroit is offering college graduates a $2500 first year allowance and a $1000 second year allowance towards the cost of renting an apartment in the city. They're also offering up to $20，000 in forgivable loans6） for new homebuyers who purchase a property in the city.

In order to participate， you've got to work for one of the companies that have partnered with the city to offer this program. Some of those companies include Compuware， Quicken Loans， and Strategic Staffing Solutions.

Lincoln， Kansas， U.S.

Anyone who's ever driven cross—country via I—70 knows that Kansas is in no shortage of open space. Kansas has had a declining population since the early 1900's， so towns like Lincoln and Osborne have taken to giving out free plots of land in order to entice7） new residents.

Depending on the city， there are different qualifications that you need to meet. You usually need to agree to build a single—family home on the land and live there for a set amount of time （5 years or so）.

Anywhere， Alaska， U.S.

This is probably the most famous example of a city/state giving away cash. Since 1976， Alaska has paid its residents to live there via its Permanent Fund Reserve. The payouts are funded by Alaska's oil royalties8） and are divided up evenly among citizens.

Over the years the payouts have varied from the smallest （$331.29 per person in 1984） to the largest （$3269 per person in 2008 when a one—time $1200 Alaska Resource Rebate9） was added to the dividend10） amount）， but the average is usually around $1250.

In order to be eligible11） for the rebate， you must not claim residence in any other state or country.

Any City in Saskatchewan， Canada

In an effort to attract more college graduates， Saskatchewan is offering both Canadians and immigrants C$20，000 to live and work in the city for 7 years. You've got to be a recent graduate though （after 2006）.

The \"Graduate Retention Program\" used to be just a tuition—reimbursement12） program for natives， but was expanded in 2008 to help entice graduates from all over the world. The C$20，000 bonus is paid in chunks13） each year when you file your taxes.

Camden， Maine， U.S.

If you're a business owner in need of land， Camden will give you a prime14） 2.8 acres if you agree to create 24 new jobs in the city. The town recently spent $1 million dollars to restore the site and the land is currently valued at $175，000.

You have to put up the initial cash for the deal， but the town will refund you your money once you meet all of the requirements.

Curtis， Nebraska， U.S.

How'd you like a prime piece of golf course real estate for free？ That's the message currently coming out of Curtis， Nebraska.

The town's all—grass， nine—hole Arrowhead Meadows Golf Course （apparently one of the best in the state） has 8 plots of land left and if you agree to build a house， they'll give it to you for free. All of the lots are utility—ready and located on paved streets.

美國密歇根州的底特律市

底特律近年來遇到的麻煩大家都知道，而該市似乎已經決定要做點什么了。（編注：由于底特律汽車業和經濟的衰退，該市人口大量流失。）

對于新遷入的居民，底特律目前不僅會贈送100套需要費心修葺的廢棄房，甚至還發放15萬美元的整修費。有些廢棄房雖然看上去相當不錯，但要把它們整修好，毫無疑問要花上不止15萬美元……

底特律還有一項計劃：大學生畢業后第一年和第二年可分別獲得2500美元和1000美元的市內租房補貼。底特律還為在本市首次購房的住戶提供多達兩萬美元的可免除貸款。

要享受這些好處，你必須要在參與該計劃的多家公司之一工作。康博軟件、快速貸款、戰略招聘解決方案公司等都在其中（編注：這幾家公司在底特律都是數一數二的大公司）。

美國堪薩斯州的林肯縣

開車駛過70號州際公路的人都知道，堪薩斯州這個地方不缺閑地。自20世紀初以來，堪薩斯州的人口就一直在不斷減少，因此像林肯縣和奧斯本縣這些縣市為吸引新居民入住已經不惜采取了免費送地的方法。

地方不同，你所需滿足的免費獲地的條件也有所不同。你通常需要同意在獲贈的土地上建一個單戶住宅，并在那里居住滿一定年限（五年左右）。

美國阿拉斯加州全境

在那些發放現金的城市或州里，阿拉斯加州大概算是最有名的一個。自1976年以來，阿拉斯加州一直通過永久基金儲備向本州居民發錢，用以留住他們。發的錢來自阿拉斯加州石油開采權使用費，按居民人數平均分配。

幾十年來，派發現金的數額變化不定。1984年最少時，僅為每人331.29美元；2008年最多時，可達每人3269美元（因為當年的分紅里多了一次性發放的1200美元阿拉斯加資源補貼費）。不過，這筆錢平均下來一般在1250美元左右。

要想獲得這筆錢，你不能在美國其他州或其他國家居住。

加拿大薩斯喀徹溫省各市

為吸引更多的大學畢業生，薩斯喀徹溫省目前正在向愿在省內城市生活和工作七年的本土居民和外來移民提供高達兩萬加元的獎金。不過只有近年（2006年以后）畢業的大學生才可領取。

這項“畢業生保留計劃”原本只是為本土大學生提供學費退還的項目，但在2008年擴大了范圍，以吸引來自世界各地的大學畢業生。這兩萬加元的獎金將在領取者每年報稅時大額支付。

美國緬因州的卡姆登市

如果你是一個需要土地的企業主，卡姆登市可以送你2.8英畝黃金地段的土地，前提是你同意為該市提供24個新增就業崗位。卡姆登市最近斥資100萬美元對這塊地進行了整修，目前該地段的市值達17.5萬美元。

要獲得這塊地，你必須要投入啟動資金，但一旦你達到所有條件，卡姆登市便將退還你投入的資金。

美國內布拉斯加州的柯蒂斯市

想要免費獲得一塊頂級的高爾夫球場場地嗎？內布拉斯加州柯蒂斯市目前就發布了這樣一條消息。

柯蒂斯市的全草皮九洞箭頭草甸高爾夫球場顯然是內布拉斯加州最好的高爾夫球場之一。該場地目前有八塊空地，如果你愿意在這里興建房屋，柯蒂斯市就會免費送你一塊。這些空地的公共設施都已到位，并且全部毗鄰鋪好的街道。

1.aggressive [??ɡres?v] adj. 活躍有為的；積極進取的

2.stack [st?k] n. [常作～s] <口>大量，許多

3.beaten—down： 廢舊的

4.TLC： 親切的照料（= tender loving care）

5.renovation [?ren??ve??n] n. 整修；修復

6.forgivable loan： 可免除的貸款，指在一個指定地方工作一定時間（一般為4年）后即可不用償還的貸款。

7.entice [?n?ta?s] vt. 誘惑；吸引

8.royalty [?r???lti] n. （石油、礦山等的）開采權使用費

9.rebate [?ri?be?t] n. （作為減免或折扣的）部分退款

10.dividend [?d?v?dend] n. 【經】紅利

11.eligible [?el?d??bl] adj. 有資格當選的

12.reimbursement [?ri??m?b??sm?nt] n. 償還；補償

13.chunk [t???k] n. 相當大的部分（或數量）

14. prime [pra?m] adj. 最好的，頭等的