News Release - Rochester Land Bank Corporation Recognized for Advances, Innovative Solutions to Blight Removal in Statewide Progress Report

City of Rochester / Rochester Land Bank Corporation

News Release

(Friday, October 10, 2014) – The New York Land Bank Association (NYLBA) has released "New York State Land Banks: Combating Blight and Vacancy in New York Communities," a report on the early accomplishments of the state’s first nine land banks over the last two years. This report is the first publication to be released by NYLBA, a statewide network of the nine land banks in New York State, from Erie to Suffolk County and recognizes the Rochester Land Bank Corporation for advances and innovative solutions to blight removal in its first year of operation.

The report is a resource for local officials, state leaders, public and private funders, and other parties interested in the value and role of land banks in communities combating property vacancy, abandonment and blight. The report was issued statewide by NYLBA members and developed with support from the Center for Community Progress, CenterState CEO, the Ford Foundation, and SUNY Buffalo State. The full report is available online at www.centerstateceo.com/NYLBA.

Created in 2013, the Rochester Land Bank Corporation focuses on remedying the ill effects of vacant property and correlates its activities with designated development plans and projects that have been created by City government, together with community members. Using the powers granted under the Land Bank Act, it seeks to amplify the effectiveness of ongoing initiatives to bring about visible change in challenged neighborhoods. In its first year of operation, the Land Bank acquired properties through the use of the Trump Bid at the City of Rochester In-Rem Tax Foreclosure Sale and through negotiation with a tax-delinquent private owner. The Corporation has already contributed to 33 redevelopment projects that will transform vacant, blighted properties into affordably priced, renovated homes for low to moderate income buyers who aspire to the dream of homeownership.

“The Rochester Land Bank Corporation has proven to be an essential tool in our continued efforts to strengthen and invest in our neighborhoods across the city,” said Mayor Warren. “Despite difficult fiscal times, our Land Bank has helped us deal with blighted properties, which, in turn, promotes neighborhood and community revitalization. We are continually grateful to Governor Cuomo for this significant tool and for his focus on renewing communities across our state. We are also thankful to Attorney General Schneiderman for the funding that helped propel the Rochester Land Bank.”
As the Rochester Land Bank Corporation gains momentum, we anticipate even more cooperation from community development partners, mortgage lenders, and private owners as it addresses neighborhood stabilization.”

The formation and activity of the Land Bank has encouraged one of the primary lenders involved in foreclosures in Rochester to begin funneling bank foreclosed properties through the Land Bank. Additionally, through its membership in NYLBA, leadership of Rochester Land Bank Corporation expects to benefit from sharing best practices and experiences with other land banks around the state.

“The Rochester Land Bank is a critical tool for continuing the work of HOME Rochester,” said Jean Lowe, of the Greater Rochester Housing Partnership. “The Land Bank allows us to acquire, with clean title and low prices, the vacant houses we use to support neighborhoods and build homebuyer equity. The Land Bank is another example of Rochester’s tradition of using public/private partnerships to get the job done.”

Later this month, Scott Smith, Corporation Council Designee and Tom Warth, Legal Advisor to the Rochester Land Bank Corporation will attend and present at a statewide summit hosted by NYLBA for New York land bank leaders in Syracuse to support training and development, facilitate the exchange of solutions and ideas, and map out statewide goals for 2015. Smith and Warth, municipal attorneys for the City, will present on the topic of navigating the Land Bank Act, Not-for-Profit Corporation Law, and Public Authorities Law. More information about the Rochester Land Bank Corporation is available at www.cityofrochester.gov/landbank.

Land banking began in New York following the 2011 passage of the New York Land Bank Act, which authorized the creation of ten land banks as a tool to address the impacts of property vacancy, abandonment and foreclosure across the state. In New York, land banks are independent nonprofit corporations focused on the return of vacant, abandoned and tax-delinquent properties to productive use. To date, land banks have formed in nine communities throughout the state including Rochester and, in June, a new state law passed authorizing the creation of up to 20 total land banks.

New York follows in the footsteps of numerous other states that use land banking as a tool to reclaim vacant properties, including Michigan, Georgia and Ohio. According to research by the Center for Community Progress, there are an estimated total of 120 land banks or land banking programs in the United States.

According to the U.S. Census, 2012 American Community Survey five-year estimates, there are 270,510 vacant housing units in New York State. The nine existing land banks in New York State are working to convert these property liabilities into assets that advance community-based goals. In addition to Rochester, New York’s other land banks include:

• Albany County Land Bank Corporation
• Broome County Land Bank Corporation
• Buffalo Erie Niagara Land Improvement Corporation
• Chautauqua County Land Bank Corporation
• Greater Syracuse Land Bank
• Land Reutilization Corporation of the Capital Region
• Newburgh Community Land Bank
• Suffolk County Land Bank Corporation

“As the Senate sponsor of the original land bank legislation, I am especially pleased to see the significant progress detailed in the report,” said State Senator David J. Valesky. “I have seen firsthand how the efforts of the nine land banks across the state are changing neighborhoods for the better, and I look forward to their continued positive achievements in the future.”

“As the co-author of the New York State land bank law, I am gratified to see the incredible progress that has been made as a result of the land banks that have been established throughout the state,” said Sam Hoyt, regional president, Empire State Development, and former State Assemblyman. “In addition, I thank Governor Cuomo for recognizing this important tool for combating blight and problem properties across the state and for his continued support of the revitalization of our cities.”

“Land banks provide a powerful opportunity for communities across New York to take control of abandoned properties, opening up a broader range of options for short-term intervention and pursuit of long-term neighborhood revitalization,” said Katelyn Wright, chair, New York Land Bank Association. “We are pleased to offer this report as a way to highlight the great work that’s been accomplished in just the last two years in tackling vacant and abandoned properties that threaten the vitality of neighborhoods across the state.”

“Land banks provide a unique tool that puts the ability to address blight and vacant properties into the hands of municipalities and neighbors, resulting in community-driven revitalization of our urban cores,” said Robert Simpson, president of CenterState CEO, in Syracuse. “As this report details, we are already seeing the impact of land banks, with the creation of more vibrant, stable neighborhoods, and more prosperous communities.”

“New York’s land bank leaders have worked hard to learn from other land banks around the country about the most effective ways to address vacant and blighted properties,” said Tamar Shapiro, president and CEO of the Center for Community Progress. “As the report shows, New York land banks are already strengthening their communities. The newly created NYLBA is a vehicle for land banks to learn from, and support each other. It will ensure that the positive impacts of land banking continue to increase in neighborhoods statewide.”

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News Media: For more information, contact Press Officer Jessica Alaimo, at 428-7135.