The Center for Community Progress is soliciting proposals for the 2012 Land Bank Conference, which takes place October 14-16 in Kalamazoo. If America’s cities and towns are to realize their greatest potential as attractive and welcoming – as drivers of the new American economy – they must be able to repurpose their vacant, abandoned, and foreclosed properties. A critical approach to this mission is the development of land banks: public authorities created to efficiently acquire, hold, manage and develop tax foreclosed property. The annual Land Bank conference attracts professionals involved with land banks such as: land bank staff and board of directors, for-profit and nonprofit developers, community foundations, real estate, greening initiatives, neighborhood revitalization, staff members from local and state government and elected officials.

Categories

• Activating Leadership and Forming Strategic Alliances

• Creating Effective Processes

• Organizational Development

• Reusing Land Sustainably

Suggested Topics

• Building coalitions; public–private partnerships; engaging the business community; citizen engagement; intergovernmental collaboration

• Land banking policy; tax foreclosure policy; property information tracking; coordinating public services

• Leveraging resources and financial stability; strategic planning; federal and state resources; marketing and communications

• Rethinking place; environmental impacts; historic preservation; urban agriculture; code enforcement; green infrastructure

Key Dates

• Submissions due | April 13, 2012

• Acceptance notification | June 15, 2012

• Schedule notification | Aug. 15, 2012

• Presentations due | Oct. 5, 2012

• Conference | Oct. 14-16 2012

Submit your proposal here.

Luke Forrest is Project Coordinator for the Center for 21st Century Communities. Contact him by email or Twitter.

This week and next, the Center for Community Progress is hosting Land Bank Trainings. Abandoned and vacant properties breed disinvestment, drain funds from local property tax base, and create decay and economic decline.  At the same time, abandoned, vacant and unused property can also be leveraged as a tremendous asset for community revitalization.  Whether land is blight or an asset is often dependent on whether communities have knowledge base and resources necessary to make the difference.  Land Banks can be used as an enhancement to the tax foreclosure system and play a vital role in revitalizing your community.

The first training is October 19 from 1:00 - 4:00 at the Kent County Administration Building in Grand Rapids. The second is October 26 from 1:00 - 4:30 at the Grand Traverse County Administration Building in Traverse City. The cost is $15 per person. Payment will be accepted at the door. To register or for more information, contact CKnox@communityprogress.net