KALAMAZOO - Unlike many land banks in the country focusing strictly on residential properties, the Kalamazoo County Land Bank Authority has taken on commercial property revitalization since its founding in 2009, often using creative paths in revitalizing commercial parcels, as demonstrated by its work in Washington Square.

CALHOUN COUNTY - To kick off its first-ever side lot sale and get residents excited about the opportunity to expand their ownership footprint by purchasing adjacent lots, the Calhoun County Land Bank hosted a Spring Fling event. At this successful event, the Land Bank sold nearly 36 lots in its inventory. The land bank partnered with the City of Battle Creek to host the two-hour event on a Saturday in April to connect with residents living next door to or nearby vacant lots.

FLINT - The Genesee County Land Bank completed renovation of the Oak School in Flint two years ago this month. Originally a school built in 1856 and closed in 1976, the building was then used by Genesee County Community Mental Health for 20 years before becoming vacant and then part of the land bank’s inventory. The land bank partnered with HUD, MSHDA, LISC, the City of Flint, and neighborhood organizations to clean up the property, develop a site plan to transform the historic building into senior housing, and secure financing.

GOGEBIC COUNTY - Large and small communities across the state struggle with a similar problem—they need to address blighted buildings, but lack the funding to do so. While there is certainly a difference of scale in the number of buildings the city of Detroit must tackle versus a smaller city like Ironwood, Detroit and larger cities like it, have greater access to funding sources at the Federal level to help address blight.

MARQUETTE - The Marquette County Land Bank is partnering with Ishpeming High School’s Industrial Arts Program to renovate a formerly abandoned home across the street from the school. The land bank donated the property to the school last year, and starting this semester, students in the advanced construction classes will begin renovating the home as part of their curriculum.

KALAMAZOO - The Kalamazoo County Land Bank is partnering with the Kalamazoo County Treasurer and local municipalities to demolish blighted structures that have been foreclosed on by the county treasurer for delinquent property taxes and are endangering neighborhoods and residents.