Concept - Good Neighbor Cemetery

Good Neighbor Cemetery: Free Burial Plots for Every Family

The Good Neighbor Cemetery is a common cause that Frisco's houses of worship can take on together, through the Frisco Good Neighbor Council and in partnership with the City. The goal is simple: no family in our city should have to go into debt to bury a loved one.

The City would set aside public land for a cemetery where every Frisco resident can receive a burial plot free of charge. The cemetery would be divided into sections, one for each faith community that wants one, plus a general section open to anyone. Each faith community cares for its own section and buries its dead according to its own traditions, such as graves facing Mecca for Muslims.

Families would still choose their own funeral home and ceremony. What becomes free is the grave itself.

VISION

A Frisco where every family can bury its loved ones with dignity, in keeping with its own faith, without worrying about the cost of a grave.

MISSION

Bring Frisco's faith communities and the City together to provide free burial plots for Frisco residents, with a section for each faith community that cares for its own section in the name of its own faith.

WHY THIS MATTERS

In the United States, a death in the family often comes with a large bill. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the median cost of a funeral with viewing and burial is about $8,300, and that does not include the cemetery. A burial plot alone commonly costs $1,000 to $4,000, and much more in big cities. For a grieving family, these costs can mean debt.

Many other places treat a grave as a public service. Israel provides free burial for its citizens. Geneva, Switzerland, offers free burial services, including the plot, to its residents. In Wallonia, Belgium, a standard burial in the municipal cemetery is free for registered residents. Frisco can do the same.

For many faith communities, burial is a sacred duty. Muslims and Jews, for example, bury their dead quickly, often within a day, so families need a place ready. A free cemetery with a section for each faith honors every tradition and shows that the city cares for all its residents, from birth to burial.

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PHASE 1: Launch Plan

Adopt the cause. The Good Neighbor Council selects free burial plots as a common cause and presents the idea to the Mayor and City Council.
Find the land. Work with the City to identify public land for a new cemetery, or a section of an existing city cemetery, and complete the zoning and state requirements.
Plan a section for each faith. Each faith community that wants a section helps design it according to its own burial traditions. A general section is open to everyone.
Share the work. The City provides the land and basic upkeep. Each faith community maintains its own section and organizes its own volunteers, such as burial societies, to help grieving families.
Start with those in need. Begin by offering free plots to families who cannot afford one, then expand to every Frisco resident as space and funding allow.
Report each year. Track how many families are served and report the results to the City, so other cities can learn from Frisco.

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