The United States has a vast surplus of housing. Housing values have plummeted. Is there something the Federal Government could do besides handing over more money to the fools in the financial sector that brought us here? Actually there is, and if you read this and agree, please let your elected officials know because no one is talking about it. (more after the fold)
Part of the solution, lies in mass transit! If the Federal government designs a national high speed rail system that connects major cities and airports together, we can start this project by buying up the rights-of-way in major metropolitan areas where land costs are always more expensive then rural areas. With the glut of housing, the Feds could buy up the large tracts of homes and businesses at bargain rates and could then move displaced residents to existing, vacant properties of comparable value.
Such a project could even set high standards for insulation and energy efficiency so that the net effect would be increased energy efficiency as well as a modern, national high speed rail system that we need to move forward. The materials from demolishing these structures could also be moved to vacant areas for recycling to help reduce the solid waste.
Jobs building the rail system would also help local economies at a time when we need them the most.