A village in the Swiss Alps will pay up to $70,000 for a family of four to move there -- but only if they are eligible.
Initial reports created so much buzz that The Local Switzerland reported village authorities have had to issue a statement shutting down the idea that people could simply move to the town and get paid thousands.
USA Today reported that 100 out of Albinen's 248 residents voted Thursday to pay for a family to settle in the community. The village council approved the proposal, which said $25,000 would be paid to each adult and $10,000 would go for each child.
The goal of the offer is to increase the declining population in the village and boost the local economy. The council will set aside $100,000 annually for the project.
“We have to seize this chance with all the means at our disposal,” Mayor Beat Jost said, adding that it is an investment.
The requirements say that candidates have to be younger than 45, be willing to buy or build a house that costs $200,000, must be Swiss citizens or permanent residents and have to live in Albinen for at least 10 years. If they move before then, the money has to be refunded.
The Independent reported that village authorities said "one in a hundred" of those who previously inquired about the move could qualify.
Authorities expect “at most five to 10 young families” to participate in the offer.
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