Council assigns liens on vacant properties to regional land bank to spur rehab

The Kankakee City Council on June 2 authorized assignment of municipal liens on five vacant residential properties to the Kankakee Regional Land Bank to allow the land bank to pursue legal steps to obtain and rehabilitate the houses.

City staff said many of the properties are vacant and that the land bank will take on the cost and process of using liens to clear title or pursue foreclosure. In-house counsel explained the land bank can request that the city release injunctions in court if that is needed later in a transfer process.

Alderman Jones and other council members asked about demolition timelines, funding and whether the land bank intends to demolish or rehabilitate properties. Staff said demolition orders exist on some parcels but that the city is also working to secure funds and developer partners to preserve homes where practical. In-house counsel said an injunction cited in one exhibit stemmed from an uninhabitable condition and could be released by the city if needed to advance land-bank actions: “If they start the process and they need that removed, we can certainly do that.”

Council members discussed using demolition funding in the budget and the challenges posed when title and tax timelines delay municipal control. The resolution was approved by roll call; city staff said the land bank’s goal for these parcels is rehabilitation and return to productive use where possible.