Want $10,000? This Oklahoma city will pay you to relocate
If you’re looking for a little extra money – say about $10,000 more – Tulsa, Oklahoma, might be the city for you.
The second-biggest city in Oklahoma launched a program, Tulsa Remote, this month in partnership with the George Kaiser Family Foundation, a charitable endowment that helps to fight poverty, in hopes of enticing young people to relocate. Part of the program includes a $10,000 stipend given over the course of a year to remote workers.
Tulsa Remote also provides co-working space at 36 Degrees North, as well as monthly meetups and workshops and discounted rent. Some requirements: Applicants (who need to be over the age of 18) must provide proof of employment outside of Tulsa County and commit to moving and living in Tulsa for at least one year.
It’s the latest in a series of gambits offered by cities, counties and states to woo young workers to uproot and move. Here’s a look at some of the other financial incentives places are using to lure newcomers.
Vermont:
Over the summer, Vermont launched a similar program, offering newcomers a $10,000 grant to help with the moving costs, so long as they were full-time, remote workers. The state allocated no more than $125,000 in 2019, and no more than $250,000 in 2020.
The Green Mountain State has a small and rapidly aging population. The initiative intends to rejuvenate the workforce -- and the tax base -- by recruiting new and younger workers.New Haven, Connecticut:
First-time homebuyers in New Haven can nab up to $80,000 in incentives from the city, which is offering $10,000 interest-free to use as a down payment. That loan is forgivable after five years in the home, according to the program’s website. New Haven -- touted as the fastest-growing New England city -- also offers $30,000 for energy-saving renovations and $40,000 for college education.
Grant County, Indiana:
The county is stepping in with perks to help bring a skilled workforce back, offering recent college graduates a $5,000 grant toward the down payment on a house, or payment on 20 percent of their rent. Local officials are hoping the program will have a trickle-down effect on the local economy.
“This program exists to help our employers thrive, to help them bring in a skilled workforce to meet their needs,” Mikayla Marazzi, Grant County Economic Growth Council director of communication and marketing, told FOX Business.
Baltimore, Maryland:
The Buying Into Baltimore program gives $5,000 to people buying homes in Baltimore City, although there are some catches. The mortgage amount, for instance, cannot exceed $517,000. It’s also given out through a lottery system, with 30 individuals selected to receive awards from a pool of eligible applicants.
North Platte, Nebraska:
Prospective employees can net up to $10,000 to relocate.
St. Clair, Michigan:
The county raised its student scholarship from $10,000 to $15,000 for students willing to relocate.