Topeka, Kansas, bets on economic incentives to attract new Latino residents

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Topeka is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County

The city of Topeka, Kansas, wants people to move there — and it has been offering economic incentives to attract new residents and workers, including Latino and immigrant families.

Under the incentives program, known as Choose Topeka, people like Erick Bovell can receive up to $15,000 if they rent or buy homes in the city and are employed by local businesses that partner with the program, with a minimum salary requirement of $50,000 a year.

Qualifying applicants must have permission to work in the U.S., meaning the incentives are not available for undocumented immigrants. Bovell, a Venezuelan immigrant who moved to the city two years ago, said he got a $10,000 incentive after the city received proof that he had bought a home.

The program is funded equally by the city and the participating businesses, many of which are recruiting Hispanic workers, said Sean Dixon, the president of Visit Topeka.

Topeka has a population of 125,449 according to census data of which 15.8 are Hispanics.

“I love the city. It is a quiet city, without traffic,” Bovell told Noticias Telemundo in Spanish.

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