2012 RVP Land Banking Presentations

Land Banking 101
The session will open with “Land Bank 101,” an in-depth look at how to form, fund and operate a land bank, presented by some of the leading experts in the land bank field in America. The session will provide participants with an understanding of the various purposes for which land banks are formed, how land banks are structured to conform to the political and market environments in which they are located, and a variety of ways to finance land bank operations and redevelopment projects. The session will also give participants an understanding of the variety of programs that land banks operate across the country. The second part of the session will involve representatives from several land banks across the country who will engage in a facilitated discussion to answer the moderator’s questions – and yours – about how these concepts have played out in “real life” in their communities.

Speakers:  Frank Alexander, Center for Community Progress; Michael Beazley, Lucas County Land Reutilization Corporation; Gus Frangos, Cuyahoga County Land Bank; Amy Hovey, Center for Community Progress; Dan Kildee, on leave from Center for Community Progress; Chris Norman, Fulton County/City of Atlanta Land Bank Authority; Eric Schertzing, Ingham County Land Bank Authority

 

Innovative Land Bank Partnerships: Leveraging Community Capacity to Meet Community Goals
Land banks do more than just acquire, hold and dispose of properties, and with today’s financial restraints, it is more important than ever to think outside the box when approaching strategies to meet community needs and demands. The session will examine several innovative partnerships between land banks and other entities that illustrate how land banks can be used to help communities meet economic development and educational as well as land use goals. The speakers will explain how their land banks are being utilized to help other community partners make a difference.

Speakers: Jean Derenzy, Grand Traverse County Planning and Development Office; Amy Hovey, Center for Community Progress; Dan Kildee, on leave from Center for Community Progress; Eric Schertzing, Ingham County Land Bank Authority

 

Restoring Trust and Accountability: The Evolution of Philadelphia’s Vacant Property Systems
A lively, interactive interview with five experts, each representing a different perspective, the discussion will focus on Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter’s initiative to transform the City’s vacant property management systems. The Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations will discuss the role of advocacy in changing the City policy landscape. The Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority will discuss the City’s new data systems and the Authority’s role as the City’s “Virtual Land Bank.” The City’s Managing Director’s Office will discuss how they are holding key agencies accountable for performance. The City’s Department of Licenses and Inspections will discuss how they improved accountability by finding the owners of vacant property, stepping up enforcement and partnering with the court system. A City councilwoman will share the tough political discussions surrounding creation of a land bank for the City’s property.

Speakers:  John Carpenter, City of Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority; Bridget Collins-Greenwald, City of Philadelphia Department of Public Property; Maura Kennedy, City of Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections; Maria Quinones-Sanchez, City of Philadelphia; Rick Sauer, Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations

 

Panel presentation one and two

 

 

Land Banking Strategies without State Enabling Legislation
While state-wide land banking legislation is proceeding across the nation, governments and activists are not sitting idle until passage. Representatives from the Twin Cities, Pittsburgh and Newburgh, New York will discuss how they’re implementing land banking strategies on a regional, city-wide and neighborhood level. Most of these practitioners are working on state-enabling legislation but have realized the importance of interim strategies to deal with the vacancy and abandonment in their communities.

Speakers:  Jessica Bacher, Pace Law School Land Use Law Center; Margo Geffen, Twin Cities Community Land Bank LLC; Kim Graziani, Center for Community Progress; Kendall Pelling, East Liberty Development. Inc.; Michael J. Vatter, Esq., City of Newburgh