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Commission returns $2 million land‑bank MOU for housing to reflect medical‑district and city‑asset priorities
Summary
The City Commission discussed a revised memorandum of understanding on June 3 to allocate $2 million to the land bank for housing, with commissioners debating directing $1 million to the medical district and $1 million to projects near city‑owned sites, including South Side investments.
The City Commission on June 3 discussed revisions to a previously proposed memorandum of understanding that would commit $2,000,000 to the Daugherty County/City land bank for housing initiatives.
City attorney Michael Custer and commissioners described a compromise whereby $1,000,000 would be allocated to development in the medical district and the remaining $1,000,000 would be used for housing projects near city‑owned assets (commissioners listed Story Road, Ragsdale Park, Dressler Gym and Marion Carmen as examples). Commissioner John Howard emphasized directing funds to the South Side to stimulate development around vacant lots and city properties; Mayor Bo Dura and others described the allocation as a way to promote workforce housing and leverage other funds.
Staff said the allocation discussed at a recent retreat combined year‑end settlement funds and other capital funds to reach the $2,000,000 figure; the land bank would serve as a conduit and would manage funds in coordination with city staff and third‑party developers. City staff noted a contract already exists with a firm to help develop spec house plans intended for some of the properties and that developers have purchased multiple lots in Ragsdale and requested financial assistance to move to ground‑breaking.
Commissioners asked that the MOU language be clarified so the medical‑district allocation and the land‑bank responsibilities are precisely recorded. No final vote on the MOU was taken at the work session; staff were directed to redraft the paragraph language and return with a revised MOU for formal consideration.
