Approximately ten years ago, Dan Kildee developed the concept of land banks. In a land bank, public authorities or non-profit organizations take the land title of vacant or abandoned properties and work to redevelop or beautify it to improve the condition of the local community. Land banks have grown several-fold and according to Kildee, “gives communities a chance to control their own destiny by controlling land.” Professor Warbach at Michigan State University’s Land Policy Institute says land banks are playing an integral role, establishing a sense of revitalization and quality neighborhoods. Detroit’s land banking authority, Karla Henderson, declares that land banking will be an important strategy in Detroit’s revitalization.
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The Land Bank Conference this month, the sixth of its kind, was the most well-attended to date. Hosted by the Center for Community Progress, over 450 experts in the field convened in Detroit to discuss strategies, tools, and best practices from around the nation.
For a list of participants and to download presentations from the conference, please visit:
http://www.communityprogress.net/2011-land-bank-conference–pages-143.php