I read a post on wordpress that asked for solutions to the question – what should the government do with the ~248,000 foreclosed homes it now owns? Lots of opinions (654, the last time I looked) are posted on the article on MSNBC. But the one that intrigued me the most was this one from Allen:

Patriotic Retirement Plan:
Big corporations do this all the time.
Take 1 million people between 55-60 in the work force. Must be in the income range of $50000 or > a year single, or $100000 per couple. 
Pay them $1 million apiece severance for early retirement with the
Following stipulations:
1) They MUST retire, and not take another paying job. Company Must rehire, throw in some incentive ( ex. 5 year tax break)
1 million job openings – Unemployment helped
2) They MUST each buy a new AMERICAN CAR.
1 million cars ordered – Auto Industry helped.
3) They MUST each either buy a house or pay off their mortgage or as a couple buy 1 more home – estimate 700000 homes sold Housing
Crisis fixed.
4) They agree not file for Social Security – Yup Soc Sec fix.
Lump sum payment of up to $300,000 once home and car are verified for purchase, buy as many homes as you want up to that $300,000. The remaining $700,000 goes into a common trust fund (guess what banks get their money to) payed out monthly payments for your life at 4% interest ($28,000 per person a year). When you die thats it. Give back trust fund balance to the government.
Start with groups by age (oldest of a couple so both retire together) over 1-2 years bringing continued growth to recovery. Couples would own 2-3 or more homes renting out one or more for more income. Use that income to pay their healthcare. (heathcare medicare given lift)Single people who already had a home would have a 2nd home also. If they want to sell the home blow the money and live on the street so be it, but remember this application would be for responsible people who worked all their life.

Many property management and home maintenance service jobs created.
Plus all those retires looking for something to do start volunteering for chairties/community service.

Cost $1 trillion with eventual return of 70% of the money from the trust fund.

Yes the common man and woman who have worked all their life maybe would get rewarded instead of those on welfare or criminal records. Sign up stiplulations reguarding years worked, criminal records, welfare, community service, armed forces, would be factors in the application process. Also states and cities hit hardest would get more of the funding to help those distressed areas.

If you have ideas on what the government should do email them by Sept 15th to this email address: reo.rfi@fhfa.gov

Let’s hear your opinion on this issue in the comments please.