A Second Push for Mike Lee’s Federal Land Sales

Freeing up a sliver of government holdings to build homes is a good idea. Deregulation can help.

WSJ editorial. Excerpts:

"Only up to 0.5% of federal land could be sold under his plan, none of which would be from protected areas like national parks, forests and wildlife preserves. States and cities would have the right to bid first on any auctioned land, before private developers."

"Since 2020 the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has transferred about 550,000 acres into state, local and private hands, and there’s no sign of hallowed nature preserves being despoiled." 

"The federal government owned almost 90% of land in Nevada by 1998, some of which was unused desert abutting the glittering city. When Congress passed a law to streamline land sales to developers, it spurred a home-building boom, with no harm to grazing or hunting grounds."

"auctioning 150 square miles—less than 0.05% of BLM holdings, and a fraction of the amount Mr. Lee’s plan contemplated—could produce up to one million new homes."