Our Work

The core purpose of the Landbank is to return unproductive properties to contributing, tax-paying status. The Landbank is committed to achieving this in a way that improves community quality of life, reduces blight and nuisance problems, stabilizes and revitalize neighborhoods, and raises property values. To accomplish this, the Landbank partners with jurisdictions and neighborhood organizations to engage in the following work:

Private and Public Development Facilitation

Assist both public and private development efforts by assembling parcels of land into viable development sites.

Housing

The Landbank works with qualified individuals and organizations who are interested in rehabilitating Landbank-owned property and who can demonstrate the ability to do so. Interested applicants are encouraged to fill out the Qualified End User/Purchaser Application.

Creative Re-Use of Vacant Land

Conveyance of vacant parcels to adjacent property owners so that they may incorporate the previously neglected parcel into their current yard.
Encourage community greening initiatives by assisting in acquisition of land for garden and green space community projects.

Blight and Nuisance Abatement

Using the statutory tools available, the Landbank facilitates community efforts to cope with problem properties. These activities may include code enforcement, securing of abandoned property and demolition.

Preservation

The Landbank is a huge supporter of Hamilton County’s valuable historic building stock. Through the Landbank’s Historic Preservation Grant Program and conservation-conscious decision making, the Landbank facilitates the preservation of historic structures when at all possible.

Neighborhood Initiative Program (NIP)

While saving homes is always the preferred option, far too often, by the time a home makes it to the Hamilton County Landbank it may be beyond repair. These homes have typically stood vacant for many years and may have been in significant disrepair even prior to vacancy. In these cases the Landbank utilizes a program called NIP (Neighborhood Initiative Program) to demolish the structure and then makes the land available.

Focus Neighborhood Strategy

The Landbank initially focused its efforts on 14 different neighborhoods throughout Hamilton County. We are now working in over 40 neighborhoods throughout the county. Our focus neighborhoods include:

• Avondale
• Bond Hill
• Evanston
• Price Hill (East, Lower, and West)
• Roselawn
• Walnut Hills
• West End