How Land Banks Can Address Brownfields: Case Studies

The deteriorating remains of an abandoned industrial facility in West Virginia, with tall concrete smokestacks and rusted metal buildings overtaken by overgrown vegetation.

Land banks are well-positioned to engage in brownfield redevelopment. As public entities with unique powers to address vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties, land banks can help communities return these properties to productive use in alignment with community goals. A growing number of communities across the country are seeing land banks lead and partner in this…

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Opportunities to Connect Urban Conservation and Vacant Land Stewardship

A diverse group of conference attendees wearing name badge lanyards posing together outdoors near a decorative welcome sign at a community garden or green space site visit.

In many communities, tackling vacant lots can feel like an impossible challenge. Local officials, land banks, and community organizations recognize the importance of finding effective strategies to maintain and repurpose vacant lots to meet community needs. According to the National Land Bank Network’s 2023 State of Land Banking Survey, vacant lots account for 86 percent…

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