Twenty-six…
Twenty-six would be the number of land banks which have been established, to date, in the great state of New York.
So far, twenty-six New York State towns, cities, villages and counties elected to go the land bank route since then-Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the Land Bank Program into law in July of 2011 – The Land Bank Act.
One of the tasks for New York land banks is to think through how to best address the nearly one million or so investor-owned properties in New York State which sit vacant – somewhere in the range of between 25,000 and 30,000 properties.
These vacant properties are too often positioned as write-offs for investors. While many of these “write-offs” could become affordable options for families who dream of one day becoming New York homeowners.
Thanks to The Land Bank Law, twenty-six New York cities, villages, towns and counties were able to draft their own unique “blue prints” to address housing needs within their distinct communities.
In New York, the municipality establishes a foreclosing governmental unit. The foreclosing governmental unit operates within guidelines established through local laws, ordinances and resolutions – the proverbial “home rule.”
Foreclosing governmental units have the capability to take possession of vacant, non-performing properties within the municipality. According to applicable municipal ordinances.
Oversight and governance for a New York land bank is bestowed upon a land bank boards of directors.
Here is the list of land banks which have been established in regions throughout New York State, to date.
Greater Syracuse
Buffalo Erie Niagara (Buffalo)
Lackawanna
Tonawanda/Erie County
Schenectady County
Chautauqua County
AmsterdamCounty
Newburgh
Broome County
Suffolk County
Rochester
Albany County
Capital Region Land Bank
Troy Community Land Bank
Oswego County
Finger Lakes Regional
Wayne County Regional
Tioga County
Steuben County
Kingston, Newburgh Community
Sullivan County
Greater Mohawk Valley
Ogdensburg
Nassau County
Suffolk County
Allegany, Cattaraugua, Chautauqua
Brad Lander is now the Democratic nominee for Congress in New York’s 10th District. New York’s 10th District includes lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn. Brad Lander was born in St. Louis, Missouri.
Missouri is widely recognized as having been the first state to set up a land bank – St. Louis Land Reutilization Authority (LRA). The country’s first land bank was established in Brad Lander’s hometown.
In 1971, LRA was created in St. Louis under Missouri’s land reutilization law. The nation’s first land bank.
In Brad Lander, Congress will soon be adding a land bank proponent to their Capitol Building roster.
