| How can I find out if the Land Bank owns a certain property? | Top
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Visit the City of Flint website at www.cityofflint.com and click on "
property tax lookup." You can search for who owns the property via street name, street address, or parcel identification number. If the owner of a property is listed as "Genesee County Land Bank" or "Genesee County Treasurer" then it is owned by the Land Bank.
You can also visit the Land Bank's website at www.thelandbank.org and click on
Property Search. You will be able to search for Land Bank-owned properties in a variety of ways, including parcel identification number, street name, or property classification.
| How does the Land Bank acquire property? | Top
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The Land Bank can acquire property three ways:
1. The Land Bank can purchase foreclosed property prior to it going through the auction through the tax foreclosure process. The Land Bank may choose to do this if the property is currently occupied; however, the Land Bank will bundle most of its properties for sale at auction. The majority of these properties will not be sold because of the sheer size of the bundle. Once property goes unsold through the auction process, the Land Bank takes ownership, is responsible for maintaining the property and becomes an agent for its eventual disposition.
2. The Land Bank reserves the right to purchase private property and will usually do so if the property is strategically situated for development or can be used for a public purpose.
3. As gifts from donors the Land Bank can receive properties from donors, so long as taxes are fully paid on these properties. These properties can then be sold back to the previous owner if desired.
| When will the abandoned house on my block be demolished? | Top
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The Land Bank has control over only the properties it owns. If the property is on the Land Bank’s demolition list, the structure will be demolished. The Land Band uses a Brownfield borrowing for demolition, so it follows federal environmental clean-up procedures prior to demolition. If a structure has already been environmentally cleaned and the utilities have been cut and plugged, then it will go through the bidding process. Once through the bidding process, it is set to be demolished. Structures that have been through the bidding process will be demolished within the following two months. Structures on the demolition list that have not been through the bidding process will not be demolished for at least six months.
| Can I ask for a structure to be placed on an emergency demolition list? | Top
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Yes, if it is on a parcel owned by the Land Bank and it is unable to be secured or boarded because it is burned or structurally dilapidated; however, the same federal environmental clean-up and bidding procedures must occur before the structure is demolished.
| How can I buy Land Bank owned property? | Top
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In order to buy Land Bank property, you must not own real property in Genesee County that is tax delinquent, or that is subject to a violation of state or local codes. You must also not be a prior owner of any real property in Genesee County that was transferred to the Treasurer or to a local government as a result of tax delinquency. If you meet these qualifications, you must provide a detailed description outlining your plans for this property once purchased. The Land Bank will review your application based on its potential effect on the surrounding neighborhood and its conformance with a greater neighborhood strategic plan if applicable. Applications are available at this Website or by calling the Land Bank Office
| How can I purchase the vacant lot next door to my house? | Top
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Through the Side Lot Disposition Program. To qualify, your property must be adjacent to the vacant lot and share no less than a 75% common lot line with the lot. You must not own real property in Genesee County that is tax delinquent, or that is subject to a violation of state or local codes. You must not be a prior owner of any real property in Genesee County that was transferred to the Treasurer or to a local government as a result of tax delinquency. You will also need to show that the property’s use will be consistent with local zoning requirements. Upon meeting these qualifications, the side lot may be purchased for $1 in addition to the amount of taxes owned on the orphan year (if applicable).
| How does the Land Bank clean and maintain its lots? | Top
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Ideally, the Land Bank’s goal is to secure all abandoned homes through boarding, to clear vacant lots of debris, brush, & trash and to keep grass mowed on these vacant lots. However, with 3,000 tax-foreclosed and abandoned properties and limited resources, the Land Bank provides only emergency maintenance for properties that are considered health and safety hazards.
The has a
Clean and Green Program in which the Land Bank enters into an agreement with neighborhood associations or block clubs for the cleaning and maintenance of the properties that fall within the association or block club’s target area. You can find more information.
The Land Bank aso has an
Adopt-a-Lot Program, which gives individuals, businesses, neighborhood groups, and other organizations in Genesee County the opportunity to control and use Land Bank owned vacant lots near their homes or businesses to beautify / green their neighborhood without the burden of taxes or other financial obligations that come with ownership.
Since the Land Bank is a public agency, for the maintenance activities that do not fall under the two aforementioned programs, bids go out and a maintenance company is contracted.
