When People or businesses in the community commit to caring for Land Bank owned vacant lots in their neighborhood, crime is reduced, property values increase, and the appearance of neighborhoods improve. Adopt-a-Lot has existed informally since the City of Flint started to experience the loss of housing. Neighbors began taking care of nearby properties, mowing the grass, picking up trash or better. Some planted flowers in nearby vacant lots to help beautify the neighborhood while others have started gardens or created impromptu pocket parks for the benefit of the block. It is that spirit of community and commitment to neighborhoods that the Land Bank is supporting by creating a formal Adopt-a-Lot program for Land Bank owned property.
Who is eligible?
Any residents, businesses, neighbors, block clubs or other organizations interested in caring for vacant land in their area are eligible to adopt a lot from the Genesee County Land Bank.
Why should I take part?
The Adopt-a-Lot program gives you the opportunity to control and use Land Bank owned vacant lots near your home or business to beautify / green your neighborhood without the burden of taxes or other financial obligations that come with ownership. In addition to increased safety and property values, when available, adopters can utilize resources such as Land Bank technical assistance with gardening, property maintenance, site design, and planting materials (see
Resource List). If desired, those who adopt land from the Land Bank will have special consideration for purchase of the specific adopted vacant lot(s).
What is the cost?
It is free to adopt! Whether or not you adopt a lot, you can contribute by becoming a sponsor to support the communities greening efforts.
Where are the lots?
Vacant lots owned by the Land Bank are located throughout Genesee County. Each year, the Land Bank receives hundreds of vacant lots through the tax foreclosure system process.
Search our properties by property class to find a vacant lot near you.
How can I adopt?
You can adopt a lot right now! Just fill out the
application and return it to the Genesee County Land Bank at 425 S. Saginaw St., 2nd floor, Flint, MI 48502. We will process your application and you will be able to finalize the adoption within 30 days. If you have any questions, contact us at 810.257.3088 or
landbankinfo@co.genesee.mi.us.
What should I do with my lot?
Some suggestions for greening are gardening, creating a pocket park, planting flower beds, or adding picnic tables to the lot. The possibilities are practically limitless; so be creative!
Adopt-a-Lot Application
Resource List
Supporting innovative community groups and organizations in the cleaning, maintaining and beautifying of Land Bank-owned properties.
The Clean and Green Program started as a pilot project during the summer of 2003 in which two community groups partnered in the maintenance of 45 Land Bank owned properties on Flint’s east side. Of these 45 properties, 10 were improved with decorative split rail fencing and raised garden beds. During the summer of 2006 twelve community groups participated in the program. These groups maintained over 600 Land Bank properties and developed 12 greening projects. In conjunction with Keep Genesee County Beautiful’s Beautification awards ceremony, the Land Bank recognized participating groups and awards were presented to the groups with the most outstanding greening projects.
Groups looking to participate in this year’s Clean and Green program will go through a competitive application process. In selecting groups or organizations to participate in the program the Land Bank will look to those with the following characteristics:
• Strong ties to the neighborhood or area in which work will be performed
• Past experience in clean-up and/or neighborhood beautifying activities
• A commitment to including area youth as part of the program
• A well-organized work team structure
• Access to tools and equipment needed to perform work
• Creative and thoughtful plan regarding the beautification and greening of properties, with a focus on vegetable gardening and/or fresh food generating greening activities
• Capacity and willingness to acquire liability insurance to cover each individual performing work or willingness to have each participant sign a liability release form
• Resourcefulness (i.e. leveraging funds from other sources
Program Details
Participants are required to
• Maintain at least 20 Land Bank properties
• Develop at least two gardening projects
• Encourage neighbors to Adopt Clean and Green lots
All applicants will be competing for available project funds of amounts no greater than $10,000 per group. Allocation of project funds will be determined by:
• Geographic size of area
• Number of Land Bank properties in area
• Group’s capacity for community outreach and maintenance
• Group’s goals as outlined in the attached application
• The number of gardening projects a group is willing to complete
Gardening Projects are required to be developed by each Clean and Green group. Groups are strongly encouraged to include vegetable gardens and to involve area youth as part of their garden projects. The location of these gardening projects as well as details of what the project will entail will be determined before the start of the work period. Besides vegetable gardens, gardening projects may include:
• Flower Gardens
• Decorative Fencing
• Tree Planting
• Low Maintenance Plantings
• Signage
Participants in this Program will be chosen using a competitive application process. In the application, groups will have to provide a budget detailing the allocation of Land Bank funds being applied for as well as provide a description of other sources of funding they are seeking (i.e. KGCB Beautification Grants).
Program Timeline
• Clean and Green applications due March 28
• Land Bank staff and the Land Bank Citizen Advisory Committee will review applications
• Selected groups notified by the middle of April
• Representative(s) from selected groups will meet with Land Bank staff to inventory property to determine exact location and condition
• Signing of a memorandum of agreement between group and the Land Bank
• Groups expected to begin work in mid May, with full youth participation beginning at the end of the school year
• At least six rounds of maintenance must be performed on each property before the end of the program (mowing, trimming, light brush removal, and litter pick-up)
• Program ends in early October
• A year-end recognition and awards ceremony is held in conjuction with Keep Gensee County Beautiful’s Annual Beautification Awards ceremony
The Land Bank looks forward to working with community-based groups to improve the appearance of neighborhoods through the Clean and Green Program. Those groups interested in participating in the program should fill out the Clean and Green Application Form.
Through a partnership with The City of Flint, the Land Bank is able to speed up the process of removing abandoned homes in need of demolition that pose a threat to the well-being of a neighborhood. This increases public safety, appearance, and property values in neighborhoods.
This program coordinates the process of demolishing dilapidated structures on Land Bank owned lands. The demolition process begins with compiling lists of houses in need of demolition, which are determined by Land Bank staff and consultants based on the houses’ physical condition and location criteria. After a comprehensive list is prepared, then the properties are assessed for hazardous materials and waste, contracts are bided out for removal of hazardous waste and materials, utility hookups are disconnected, bid packets are developed for demolition, then contractors’ bills and documentation are managed and tracked.
Since February 2003, the Land Bank has environmentally cleaned and demolished 524 structures. The Land Bank currently has the capacity to demolish 400 homes over the next eighteen months with funds available through a loan from the Genesee County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority.
| Housing Renovation and Rental | Top
|
The Land Bank renovates between 25 and 50 houses per year in order to stabilize and revitalize neighbrohoods, encourage homeownership, and provide affordable housing. These renovated houses are available for
1). sale or
2). rent.
| Click on any image below to see the full size pictures. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
This program assesses those properties that are either strategically situated or can be renovated and sold for market price. The Housing Renovation Manager develops a rehab plan, selects qualified contractors, and oversees the rehab through to completion. Once the renovation is complete, it is listed and sold on the open market. As a component part of a neighborhood redevelopment strategy, these investments will help to encourage homeowners and residents to maintain and improve their properties. The sudden investment in property which experienced prolonged disinvestment will increase surrounding property values and return the property to tax roll.
All housing renovation projects are put out for bid at the beginning of each year. Contractors that have filled out an application, which request to be put on the bid list, may then be contacted and allowed to bid on the available rehab projects. After the contractors are hired for that year, no more will be hired until the following year when more renovation projects are put out to bid. If you are a licensed contractor and would like to be added to the Land Bank’s bid list, please come to our office and request, fill out, and return the required application.
This program also helps to revitalize neighborhoods by renovating properties and renting them. Properties maintained as rental properties are inspected on a regular basis and health, safety and code issues are addressed immediately. To encourage home ownership, qualified tenants are offered a rent-to-own option. If you need more information contact our property manager,
Dave Fadierko. If you are interested in renting fill out our
Rental Application.
In addition, this program provides residents of tax reverted properties with the option of remaining in their homes after the date of foreclosure until a permanent housing solution can be arranged. Shortly after the property ownership is transferred to the Treasurer’s Office by court order on April 1st, the Genesee County Land Bank identifies all occupied properties. A correspondence is sent to each property instructing the occupant to cease paying rent to the “previous landlord” and contact the Land Bank office for an appointment to sign a lease. Once a lease is arranged, the Property Manager inspects the house and develops a maintenance plan to determine the feasibility of either maintaining the property as a rental or relocating the residents and demolishing the property. If the occupants of the new properties do not want to purchase the home and refuse to sign a rental agreement, they are given a notice of eviction and the property is then assessed as any vacant house in the Land Bank inventory.
The Land Bank supports homeownership and investment in tax foreclosed properties by offering several options to purchase housing. In addition to accepting cash and conventional mortgages, the Land Bank may sell a property under land contract, often with credit for renovations going towards the purchase price. This ensures that the purchaser will help to stabilize the neighborhood by improving their property. The Land Bank also provides purchasers with a lease that includes an option to buy, which enables the purchaser to improve their credit before acquisition. The sales team works with the purchaser to negotiate a fair sales price and to help identify additional funding sources for home improvements.
Search our properties to find properties that you may be interested in purchasing.
If you would like to purchase any Land Bank owned properties please complete the correct
Land Transfer Application Form.
NOTICE: The cost of a Side Lot will increase to $25 from $1 effective April 1, 2008; all other related fees will remain the same.
Homeowners in the City of Flint with vacant Land Bank property adjacent to the left or the right side of their home have the opportunity to purchase that property as a side yard for $25.00, plus the foreclosure year’s taxes (if foreclosed in 2003 or before), a $25.00 administration fee, and a $14.00 filing fee. This program brings properties back onto the tax roll, while reducing the public costs associated with property maintenance.
Side Lot Requirements:
(1.) The property requested is currently owned by the Genesee County Land Bank.
(2.) The property requested is vacant real property with no structure on the site.
(3.) The property requested is next to the applicant’s property with at least a 75% common boundary line on the right or left side.
(4.) The applicant is the owner and living in the property next to the requested property.
(5.) The applicant has never received a lot through the Side Lot Program.
Homeowners are eligible to receive one parcel under this program (additional parcels can be purchased as vacant lots by filling out the Residential Land Transfer Application). Priority is given to property that is not large enough for a separate residential or commercial structure.
Side Lot Transfer Application
Side Lot Strategy: re-casting lots as yard or garden
| Foreclosure Prevention | Top
|
Preventing properties from entering the foreclosure process is a key strategy for stabilizing neighborhoods. Homeowners experiencing a significant financial hardship are able to request a one-year foreclosure postponement. A second year postponement is sometimes granted if the circumstances remain the same and a property owner demonstrates significant progress toward paying the taxes owed. Since 2002, over 1,000 homeowners have been granted a postponement enabling them to keep their homes.
Contact: Cathy Town, Foreclosure Prevention Coordinator 810.341.5921
);)
);)
);)
);)
);)
);)
);)
);)
);)
);)
);)
);)