30 for (20)30

Executive Summary

Since 2010, the Kalamazoo County Land Bank Authority (KCLBA) has worked to address vacant, abandoned, deteriorated, and tax-foreclosed properties in the city of Kalamazoo and throughout the county. As vacancy challenges and market conditions have shifted over the last 15 years, the KCLBA has proven to be a dependable partner in designing programs and strategies to meet the community’s most pressing needs.

Much of the KCLBA’s work has reflected traditional land bank work—demolition, rehab, and side lot sales. As Kalamazoo weathered the Great Recession better than many of its peer cities, the KCLBA began exploring what land banking could look like when housing markets stabilized and vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties were limited to a handful of neighborhoods and large industrial sites. The KCLBA is now at the leading edge of the next era of land banking.

To navigate this new era, the KCLBA embarked on a strategic planning process throughout 2025. They partnered with the Center for Community Progress (Community Progress) to lead the effort. Through interviews, site visits, data analysis, and legal research, Community Progress and land bank staff thoughtfully evaluated the KCLBA’s role in community development and where it must focus going forward. One clear priority emerged: As the KCLBA finds creative solutions to new challenges, it must not lose its core focus on problem properties.

Rooted in continued engagement with partners, residents, and national leaders, the KCLBA can help ensure Kalamazoo County is full of vibrant, healthy, safe, and connected communities. 30 for (20)30 provides a roadmap for doing so—maintaining clear focus while adapting to new conditions.

Strategic Priorities

Priority 1. Ensure land bank powers are appropriately used to address problem properties in Kalamazoo County.

Strategy 1: Expand local awareness about the KCLBA’s purpose and powers.

Strategy 2: Accurately understand and articulate the scale of vacant and deteriorated property in Kalamazoo County.

Strategy 3: Assess all KCLBA-owned properties for target end use(s).

Strategy 4: Leverage land bank powers to support reuse and redevelopment.

Strategy 5: Develop “properties of interest” list for future acquisitions.

Priority 2: Be an active, collaborative community development partner.

Strategy 6: Build meaningful, formal partnerships with residents and community organizations in neighborhoods most affected by vacant and deteriorated properties.

Strategy 7: Strengthen relationships with out-county communities.

Strategy 8: Activate the KCLBA office for community benefit.

Priority 3: Support the development of new quality, attainable housing options.

Strategy 9: Leverage vacant lots to build a diversity of housing types.

Strategy 10: Partner to develop housing to meet the needs of special populations.

Strategy 11: Expand disposition strategies and options.

Priority 4: Preserve and grow neighborhood stability by improving residential property conditions.

Strategy 12: Continue to be good stewards of KCLBA-owned property.

Strategy 13: Lead rehab of existing land bank-owned, vacant residential property and explore proactive vacant property acquisition for rehab.

Strategy 14: Conduct strategic demolition as needed.

Strategy 15: Implement an owner-occupied home repair program out-county.

Strategy 16: Repair occupied Homeward Promise properties and adopt a process for transitioning away from land bank ownership.

Strategy 17: Carefully consider additional opportunities to acquire substandard rental properties.

Priority 5: Strategically intervene to support transformational projects.

Strategy 18: Develop a roadmap for participating in commercial and industrial projects.

Strategy 19: Expand the use of land bank tools to advance economic opportunities.

Strategy 20: Explore and conduct strategic acquisition and holding.

Priority 6: Activate vacant lots to improve environmental health and quality of life.

Strategy 21: Create interim use plans for lots slated for future development.

Strategy 22: Make vacant lots available for short- and long-term reuse activities.

Strategy 23: Strategically acquire, hold, and/or transfer vacant lots to facilitate priority open space projects.

Priority 7: Operate with organizational excellence.

Strategy 24: Ensure staff are supported by a strong organizational culture and equipped to implement strategic goals.

Strategy 25: Evaluate and modify strategies, activities, and programming.

Strategy 26: Develop diverse and robust funding to grow strategic programming and sustain long-term operations.

Strategy 27: Practice good governance and board development.

Strategy 28: Reconstitute Vibrant Kalamazoo.

Strategy 29: Leverage the KCLBA’s resources and spending to support the local economy.

Strategy 30: Actively participate in the larger land bank field through membership organizations and other affiliations and programming.

Download the 30 for (20)30 Strategic Plan »