Things are getting so lonely in an idyllic Swiss mountain village, officials wants to pay people $25,000 to move there for good.
The initiative aims to repopulate the community of Albinen– which has dwindled to just 240 residents– and will be voted on by the village council on Nov. 30, according to The Local.
Newcomers willing to buy or build a house in the scenic town and commit to living there for ten years would get a grant of 25,000 Swiss francs per adult and 10,000 per child– meaning a family of four would receive $70,871.
There is a catch though, to be eligible you must be under 45 and the house you build or buy must be a primary residence- not a vacation home- and be valued at around $200,000.
In recent years, the charming village has experienced an exodus and the local school had to close after the departure of three families.
Nestled in the mountains, at an altitude of 4,265 feet, the air in Albinen is pure, sun abundant and the views are panoramic — but there are few jobs and the nearest city, Sion, is half an hour away.
With ski and spa resorts just miles away, many of the homes in the town have become vacation homes and remain empty most of the year.
Village authorities said the new proposal is “an investment in the village’s future,” adding that an influx of new families would bring life back to Albinen and that residents would benefit through taxes, construction contracts and purchases in local shops.
“In a best case scenario, even the village school will reopen,” authorities wrote in their newsletter.