City, county working together on Land Bank Authority
The City of Douglas and Coffee County are working together to rid our community of vacant and blighted property. The Douglas-Coffee County Land Bank Authority (L.B.A.) was formed in 2016 as a five member city-county board to focus on working with neighborhoods and the community to promote property redevelopment. Georgia Code §48:4:100-112, allows the formation of Land Bank Authorities for the purpose of the redevelopment of vacant, abandoned, and tax delinquent properties.
The main objective of the joint L.B.A. is to acquire tax delinquent, non-revenue generating property and return it to productive use; the sale of land and property for the development of affordable housing; and the abatement of delinquent taxes. Designed to acquire and maintain problem properties, the L.B.A. will transfer the properties back to responsible ownership and productive/revenue generating use in our community which will create a more efficient and effective system to eliminate problem areas/blight in Douglas and Coffee County.
“Since 2016, the Douglas Coffee County L.B.A. has been deeded one property on Letitia Avenue, which was previously a residential home,” says City Commissioner Cindy McNeill. “We hope to use the funds, from the sale of the home, to help our efforts to find solutions for vacant properties that will spur redevelopment in Douglas and Coffee County.”
Throughout the state, Land Bank Authorities convert tax delinquent properties; redevelop distressed areas; discourage tax delinquency; facilitate beneficial land use; encourage investment; avoid tax sale titles problems, reduces blight in the community, and work collaboratively with City and County departments to produce affordable housing, new industry, jobs and tax revenue.
For more information about deeding a property to the Land Bank Authority or how the Land Bank Authority operates, please contact Georgia Henderson, City of Douglas Community Development Director, at (912) 383-0277 or email ghenderson@cityofdouglas.com.