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Commissioner Lundy seeks memo on county options for tax-forfeited land, raises anti-displacement idea
Summary
Commissioner Lundy asked staff for a briefing on what the county can do with tax-forfeited land — including sale, transfer to HRA, and assembling parcels for land trusts — and urged exploring community-benefit uses to support anti-displacement efforts; staff agreed to prepare a memo and research specific properties.
Commissioner Lundy asked the Residence Services Committee to request a memo explaining the county’s rights and responsibilities regarding tax-forfeited land and how those lands can be disposed of or transferred. Lundy raised concerns about prior sales to the Housing and Redevelopment Authority and asked whether the county can assemble adjacent parcels for community-benefit uses such as land trusts to support anti-displacement work.
"Can we dispose of lands?" Lundy asked, citing examples where the county or cities owned adjacent parcels and where sales to the HRA had been used as conduits for further transfers. Lundy said a briefing would help avoid making promises at meetings and would give commissioners better guidance on options such as sale, transfer, or donation for community benefit.
A county staff member agreed to prepare a memo outlining rights and responsibilities and noted that questions of applicability are complicated by a recent "Tyler" Supreme Court case, which may affect which law applies to particular properties. The staff member offered to examine specific parcels if commissioners provide them and said county staff work with partner cities to seek the best use of forfeited properties rather than always choosing the easiest administrative option.
Staff committed to providing the requested background and to follow up on particular properties submitted by commissioners.
