The Greater Topeka Partnership and its GO Topeka operation have extended the Choose Topeka Relocation Incentive for another year with a new $300,000 allotment. Workers looking to relocate to Topeka, Kansas, can apply for up to $15,000 toward moving and housing expenses—an incentive that has so far aided 40 workers, as well as their families, and generated $3.2 million in regional economic impact.
The participants have come from across the country, including transplants from New York and San Francisco, and make an average of $80,000 per year. Twenty-one participants purchased a home in the city, while 19 are renting.
“In just one year, we’ve already attracted 40 highly educated, well-paid workers and their family members,” says Molly Howey, president of GO Topeka. “We have always known that Topeka and Shawnee County are an amazing place to call home, and we’re excited to welcome even more people to our community in 2021.”
The program has received thousands of requests from across North America, Europe, Asia, and South America. Once approved, Choose Topeka invites candidates’ employers to match their initial relocation incentives, up to a combined total of $15,000 for home purchases and $10,000 for renters signing a one-year lease. Employees who work remotely for companies outside Topeka are eligible for up to $10,000 for a home purchase or $5,000 on a one-year lease, tiered based on salary.
“This is an exciting validation of the work that went into developing this program,” said Topeka Mayor Michelle De La Isla. “Choose Topeka not only addresses an important need to attract talent to our community, but it is a powerful tool to provide many new people access to funds needed to buy a home.”
