Best Practices in Land Bank Operation

Kevin O'Brien, Cleveland State University
Kristin S. Toth
Claudette Robey, Cleveland State University
Christopher Gollan
Matthew Sattler
Jacob Duritsky
Sarah Hudecek

Abstract

In preparation for the development of a strategic business plan for the City of Cleveland to create an industrial/commercial land bank, the GLFEC conducted a best practices scan that encompassed two phases of primary research. The first phase included a thorough review of more than 41 sources of academic and trade literature on the topics of vacant land utilization and management, land banking, land assembly, and vacant and abandoned property policy. The second phase was a survey of 34 land banks and land redevelopment authorities in the United States. This report summarizes the findings of the research and identifies those practices in land-bank operation in the United States that currently define the models of operation and point to the best policies and practices in use today.