Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Banking Blight topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House approves bill allowing local land banks to address blighted properties
Summary
Senate Bill 189 creates authority for local governments to establish land banks to acquire and manage blighted or tax-adjudicated properties, subject to public meeting laws and audits; the House recorded final passage in the transcript excerpt.
Senate Bill 189, taken up on June 8, authorizes political subdivisions to establish land banks to acquire, manage and finance blighted properties and other underperforming parcels.
Representative Jackson carried the bill on the House floor on behalf of Senator Jenkins. He described the measure as a tool to address blighted properties in economically and physically depressed areas by allowing local governments to establish land banks. Key provisions discussed on the floor include appointment of a board of directors, authority to acquire and manage properties, ability to issue bonds for financing, and a limitation that land banks cannot impose taxes. The bill also specifies the authority may acquire tax-adjudicated properties and must adhere to public-meeting requirements; the sponsor told members the authorities would be nonprofit and subject to audit.
The bill’s sponsor emphasized that land banks would not have eminent-domain powers. The House adopted the measure on final passage; the clerk recorded 101 yeas and 0 nays in the transcript excerpt provided.
Supporters said the authority would provide a local option for jurisdictions confronting blight and allow structured financing and property management through boards and nonprofit oversight; opponents were not recorded in the provided excerpt.
