[evjim]

I have friends that have lived in the national forest for a significant amount of time. Know people who live in cars and RVs in cities. None of them are mentally ill or drug addicts. I know techies and rednecks who are held back by the cost of real estate.

The world needs a modern homesteading act. Give people small parcels of land with limited restrictions.

Real estate speculation/investing/absenteeism has jacked up prices in a lot of areas. This excessive ownership by some is subsidized and allows rent seeking and perpetual wealth growth. Land is not capital. Land is limited. Bare land should be free.

[ryandrake]

> The world needs a modern homesteading act. Give people small parcels of land with limited restrictions

Or (more controversially) increased squatter’s rights.

[buckminster]

Here in the UK I would settle for the reintroduction of squatter's rights. Tony Blair abolished them.

(To be completely accurate, you are still entitled to claim land after 12 years unchallenged adverse possession. What changed under Blair is you now also need the permission of the landowner. Which you will never get.)

[Mediterraneo10]

19th-century homesteading happened before people expected minimal utilities to be connected to their property. Even if you give all that free space out there to people, what good is it without water or electricity?

[evjim]

It is cheaper to install solar than run electric. For under $2,000 I have built solar systems that power an efficient fridge, led lightbulbs, normal electronics, and the occasional power tool (even stick welding). Thats only ~2 years of power bills.

I've also made a well drilling auger and manually dug a drinking well for only a few hundred dollars in parts. Many offgrid people collect rainwater into a cistern and meet their water requirements. If these plots were small enough it wouldn't be unreasonable to have one well that supplies 10+ houses.