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Commission debates $2 million land‑bank MOU: split between medical district and south‑side projects proposed
Summary
The commission discussed a revised memorandum of understanding to direct $2 million to the land bank for housing initiatives, with commissioners divided over allocating $1 million to the medical district and $1 million for projects near city‑owned assets on the south side; staff said the land bank would shepherd funds and work with developers.
City attorneys and commissioners on June 3 returned a revised memorandum of understanding that would direct $2 million to the land bank to support housing initiatives, and they debated how to allocate that money between the medical district and projects near city‑owned assets on the South Side.
What was proposed and debated City Attorney Michael Custer and staff reviewed a redraft of the MOU tied to an earlier commission consensus to deploy $2 million to support housing. Commissioner Vilnius Gaines urged that the funds be used to stimulate development on the South Side and suggested reshuffling the dollars to attract developers to vacant lots along Story Road. Several commissioners and the city manager reiterated that one million dollars was meant for the medical district — a priority discussed at the commission retreat — while the other million would be used for properties near city assets such as district parks and gyms.
Roles and responsibilities City staff and the land bank would be responsible for deploying the funds under the MOU, the city attorney said; commissioners and staff discussed that the land bank would act as a conduit for city funds and work with private developers. Staff said the land bank and city already have contracts with a firm to develop spec houses and that permitting work is underway for initial units in areas such as Ragsdale Park.
Developer activity and leverage City staff reported a private organization that built the Carroll Street Gardens had purchased the remaining lots in Ragsdale Park (reported as 18 lots) and was preparing to break ground on house plans submitted to the building department; that developer has requested financial assistance and staff said the MOU funds could be leveraged with land bank and other resources.
Next steps and clarifications Commissioners asked staff to modify language in a “red paragraph” of the MOU to clarify which dollars would be shepherded by staff and which directly fund the medical district. Staff said they would revise the MOU to reflect the commission’s direction and return with a final document. No final vote to execute the MOU was recorded in the transcript at the June 3 session.
