Cuyahoga Land Bank

About

The Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corporation, commonly known as the Cuyahoga County Land Bank is the most progressive entity in the country dedicated to eliminating vacant, blighted homes and properties and returning them to productive use

Story

The Land Bank works to advance Cuyahoga County's broad policy goals, within the prescribed perimeters of SB 353 - the State statute that allows for its existence. These goals include the revitalization of neighborhoods, the promotion of economic growth, and the creation of job and workforce development opportunities.

The Land Bank is committed to the healthy, sustainable community redevelopment within Cuyahoga County. The Land Bank exhibits this ongoing commitment through efforts such as strategic blight clearance, deconstruction, the appropriate and innovative re-use of vacant land, and the use of energy efficient, green rehabilitation and new construction standards.

As a non-profit government purposed entity, the Land Bank is empowered to help local governments foster effective land re-use. Put simply, the Land Bank has many of the same powers as a traditional government land bank so it can be extremely effective, but it is not hindered by as many of the traditional, bureaucratic government impediments. The net result of the structure is that it not only will be effective, but also efficient and strategic.

The process of converting land to productive re-use is labor intensive and difficult in areas where there are distressed markets. But, such efforts may lead to job opportunities. Therefore, as part of its central focus, whenever feasible, the Land Bank looks to expand and create in-field job opportunities for those who need work, mindful of the many who may have some barriers to employment.

Finally, through maximum collaboration with local governments, the Land Bank is positioned to promote and lift the profile of individual community priorities. This ability to cut through political boundaries, promotes regionalism and helps the collective community leverage and focus its precious resources on this important land re-use challenge rather than diluting them by spreading them too thinly and broadly.

Mission

The mission of the Cuyahoga Land Bank is to strategically acquire properties, return them to productive use, reduce blight, increase property values, support community goals and improve the quality of life for county residents.