How It Works

Land banking is a tool, enabled by state legislation, to help communities combat the problems associated with blight, abandoned and vacant properties. Tax-delinquent, abandoned and vacant properties destabilize communities, create fire and safety hazards, drive down property values and drain local tax dollars. Land banks strategically acquire vacant properties and convert these liabilities into assets.

The main goal of the Chautauqua County Land Bank is to acquire the title to vacant properties, eliminate the liabilities and transfer the properties to new, responsible owners in a transparent manner, resulting in outcomes consistent with community-based plans. The NYS Land Bank Act provides land banks, such as Chautauqua County Land Bank, with the power to clear titles of all liens, which allows for them to acquire, manage and convey vacant properties in ways that align with community priorities.

 

Acquisition

The Chautauqua County Land Bank Corporation strategically acquires properties to help encourage reinvestment as well as protect and stabilize neighborhoods at risk. Acquiring properties can be done via:

  • Tax Foreclosure

  • Donated Property

  • Mortgage Foreclosure or Bank Owned

  • Market Purchases

  • Land Bank Agreements

  • Code Enforcement Lien Foreclosures

Disposition

The Chautauqua County Land Bank Corporation assesses and defines reuse for properties in ways that will enhance their host neighborhoods. This can be done via:

  • Sales

  • Side lots

  • Rehab/Resale

  • Native Gardens

  • New Construction

  • Demolition

Maintenance

The Chautauqua County Land Bank Corporation assumes responsibility for the maintenance of properties in its inventory.

This includes:

  • Assessments

  • Cleaning out

  • Routine Landscaping 

  • Preventative Maintenance

  • Emergency Repairs

Strategic Reuse

The Chautauqua County Land Bank Corporation considers all acquisition and disposition of property within a context of the community’s land use planning and neighborhood revitalization plan. They work hand-in-hand with community partners to ensure that their programs support and strengthen local efforts.

Community & Economic Development

The Chautauqua County Land Bank provides many benefits to community development. These include spurring economic development by generating tax revenues for the local government, as well as increasing property values by removing blight. The Chautauqua County Land Bank has the capability to help eliminate barriers involved with redeveloping properties, as well as reduce cost burdens to local municipalities for managing vacant properties.

By providing a strategic alternative to public auctions, The Chautauqua County Land Bank is able to act as an agent to catalyze goals for the use of land. We also have the ability to partner with other entities on the development of private or public sector projects.