Three cities in Kent County could soon have the option of forming their own land bank. The bill that would make it possible is awaiting Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s signature.
Currently, only counties and the city of Detroit can create their own land bank. The legislation, if signed, would allow any city in Michigan with a population of more than 50,000 to form a land bank if their respective county doesn’t already have one.
There are seven cities and four townships in the state that would qualify if the bill becomes law, including Grand Rapids, Kentwood and Wyoming. State Rep. Kristian Grant, a Democrat, introduced the bill.
She said it spurs a focus on affordable housing and spaces serving communities.
“The way that that can help address the housing shortage that we’re seeing is making sure that we don’t have properties that are vacant or bringing blight to neighborhoods for a long period of time but that there’s an entity there that’s really focused on getting these properties back in use,” she said.
Grant said that while the state land bank does step in, a city land bank can be more intentional about the cities’ needs and are able to use other resources and tools that the state land bank can’t.
“For instance the City of Grand Rapids is going to look at what ARPA dollars do we have available, are there ways that we can apply those, the City of Grand Rapids has a housing fund can we use those dollars to make sure we have affordable housing, and they can do things that the state land bank wouldn’t be able to do,” she said.
The bill has passed both the State Senate and House and is currently awaiting the governor’s signature.
