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Muncie Land Bank reports acquisitions, Habitat transfers and rehab at 612 W. Fifth
Summary
Muncie Land Bank described property work including transfers to Habitat for Humanity, progress on a rehab at 612 West Fifth with Pathstone funding, outreach events and plans to request additional properties from county commissioners.
Nate Howard of the Muncie Land Bank told the Redevelopment Commission on Feb. 20 that the land bank has three new board members and has completed several property transactions and preparations for rehabilitation.
Howard said the land bank is handling 36 tax certificates: seven have been transferred to Habitat for Humanity to support a grant-driven build program, and three additional properties are being held for future Habitat projects. The remaining certificates that were not redeemed are being processed through public notification and quiet-title actions, and Howard said full ownership transfers for those should take a few months.
Howard described the land bank’s first full rehab at 612 West Fifth, a property he said had burned, cycled through tax sales, and was acquired by the land bank. The land bank worked with Pathstone and city community development to secure funding including Community Foundations and CFGB funds for rehabilitation; the house will be offered as an affordable home through Pathstone.
The land bank is preparing an upcoming request to commissioners seeking authority for additional properties and has expanded neighborhood outreach to the Whiteley, Industry and Old West End neighborhoods and the 812 area. Howard said the land bank is building tools with Ball State’s urban planning department to track properties and measure impact, and he invited commissioners to a more detailed briefing.
Howard also said the land bank recently received a grant from a Community Foundation and will present at the IDEA conference on March 8. The land bank will host a visit from the Hancock Economic Development Council, which is exploring a county land bank, and Howard plans a panel presentation on April 12 at the Community Connections Center for Scholars.
