The former steel town of Lackawanna, in Erie County, New York, is the latest beneficiary of the growing reach of land banks.
Harold McNeil reports on the first successful renovation of a formerly abandoned house by the Buffalo Erie-Niagara Land Improvement Corp. (a land bank, by any other name), in Lackawanna’s Second Ward.
"It is a first-of-its-kind revitalization effort that seeks to spare uninhabited and unattended properties from wrecker’s ball so they can be placed back on the real estate market – for more than double the investment," writes McNeil.
The success of the land bank's initial effort was first put in motion by a 2012 decision by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to make it easier for counties, such as Erie County in this case, to create land banks for the purposes of reclaiming and rehabbing private properties.
According to Mcneil's reportage, "there are plans to renovate eight more reclaimed properties across the county this year, with the expectation that those efforts will be doubled in 2016."
Hat tip to the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy for sharing the article.
FULL STORY: The Buffalo News
Cook County Land Bank Expands Vacancy Program, Offers 4,400 Lots for Sale
The vacant lot program at the Cook County Land Bank Authority recently kicked into high gear—offering a huge number of vacant lots for sale, located around 27 neighborhoods and suburbs in the Chicago region.
St. Louis Puts Renewed Effort Into Vacant Properties
St. Louis Public Radio explains the various efforts of the St. Louis Land Reutilization Authority.
Evansville, Indiana Looking to Land Bank to Solve Blight Problem
The city of Evansville will consider in the coming weeks a proposal to empower its land bank to take title and demolish roughly 200 properties. A recent report paid for by the city only bolsters the argument in favor of the action.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
Test News Post 1
This is a summary
Test News Headline 46
Test for the image on the front page.
Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service