Edit: Draft 2; removed option 4.
Edit: Draft 3; some adjustments for humor's sake.
Trouble in Deed
Validity: Must have market economy.
Description
During a photo op in a fairly upscale neighborhood of @@CAPITAL@@, you notice a surprising number of abandoned houses dotting nearly every street. According to the painfully grinning woman whose baby you're kissing, the properties are still owned by Bigtopians who emigrated back to their home country over fifty years ago.
Option 1
"Those decrepit buildings are really a blight on the place, m'kay?" asks the ever-smiling woman, who happens to be a City Councilor, wrestling your Minister of Public Relations over the baby. "It's not just here, either. My colleagues tell me that cities across @@NAME@@ are dealing with this plague, and it's getting in the way of my new megamall, m'kay? Local governments need broad authority to step in and seize land that isn't being used, to be either put up for auction or directly built on, m'kay? I'd like my baby back now, m'kay?"
Effect: long bank appointments are a great way to lose your house
Option 2
"You can't do that!" screeches your rarely-seen Minister of Sanity, crawling out of the woodwork of a nearby house. "Imagine what would happen if we let some mayor seize property just because it isn't being used, especially if that property is owned by foreigners! Do you want an international incident on our hands?! The government needs to do things by the book, and not stir up any trouble. How about you personally call up every foreigner that owns unused property here, and ask if they'd be willing to sell?"
Effect: the government's calls to citizens on vacation are often mistaken for telephone scams
Option 3a
Validity: Must have cars
"What happens in @@NAME@@ stays in @@NAME@@!" declares vagrant @@RANDOMNAME@@, loading some expensive-looking furniture into the back of an unmarked van. "As far as anyone's concerned, the people owning these properties have ceased to exist. Us simple folk could really use them houses for living, social gatherings, and steali- borrowing anything not nailed down. If the owners come back, you can just give the land back to them. What've you got to lose?"
Effect: citizens return home to find strange men sleeping in their beds
Option 3b
Validity: Cannot have cars.
"What happens in @@NAME@@ stays in @@NAME@@!" declares vagrant @@RANDOMNAME@@, shoving some expensive-looking jewelry down his pocket. "As far as anyone's concerned, the people owning these properties have ceased to exist. Us simple folk could really use them houses for living, social gatherings, and steali- borrowing anything not nailed down. If the owners come back, you can just give the land back to them. What've you got to lose?"
Effect: citizens return home to find strange men sleeping in their beds