William Penn property committee hears Delaware County Land Bank presentation; resolution language to be drafted

Laura Goodrich Kearns, commerce director for Delaware County, told the William Penn School District Property Committee on Feb. 7 that the Delaware County Land Bank could acquire tax-delinquent parcels before judicial sale and work with municipalities to return them to productive use.

Kearns said the land bank was created under the Delaware County Redevelopment Authority and that the county used ARPA seed funding and sought EPA Revolving Loan Fund monies to support remediation efforts. "We went after EPA revolving loan fund monies in order to be able to help clean up contaminated ground in the county," she said.

The land bank model Kearns described would allow the county to negotiate a pre-set price with the county treasurer to acquire parcels before they reach judicial sale, potentially preventing high-bid purchasers from obtaining property free of prior liens. Kearns…