Solution
Add a close friend to your town who doesn't go innactive I went innactive for 4 months and still have everything
Solved

 

Unless you went inactive before town claims were a thing, and had no idea they would be.

I fully support an option of offering 'discount' towns in lieu of those claimed. Like, say I have 3 towns I officially own.
If 2 are claimed, I could get new replacement ones for 180k and 220k instead of 270k and 330k.

A few safeguards could be put in place to prevent abuse, mainly stating that claims had to be because of inactivity and not because of contracts.