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U.S. Land Banks — Directory

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U.S. Land Banks — Directory

Agency directory. Legal information, not legal advice. Last verified: 2026-06-02.

Overview

A land bank is a governmental or quasi-governmental entity that acquires, holds, manages, and disposes of tax-delinquent and tax-forfeited real property, generally operating outside or parallel to the public tax-sale auction. When a land bank is active in a jurisdiction, parcels that would otherwise reach a sheriff’s or treasurer’s sale may instead be selected before advertisement, vest automatically after a failed sale, or be conveyed by negotiated transfer — reducing the inventory available to private bidders. For the doctrinal and statutory mechanics of how this works (pre-auction selection, post-auction vesting, and negotiated-transfer models), see the companion explainer land-bank-programs.

This directory catalogs the major U.S. land banks and the state enabling acts under which they operate. For each entity it records the authorizing statute (where retrievable from a primary source), the official URL, how the entity acquires property, and how it disposes of it. Entries are descriptive and neutral; entity-specific facts are sourced to each land bank’s official site or governing statute. Anything not confirmed against a retrieved official source is marked needs_verification.

Major land banks

Cuyahoga County, Ohio — Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corporation (Cuyahoga Land Bank)

  • Full legal name: The Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corporation, also known as the Cuyahoga Land Bank.
  • Authorizing framework: Organized as a county land reutilization corporation (CLRC) under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 1724, exercising land-reutilization powers under ORC Chapter 5722. Formed in 2009 following Ohio Senate Bill 353, which granted county land banks expanded community-development powers. Source: Cuyahoga Land Bank — About (retrieved 2026-06-02); enabling statutes per land-bank-programs (ORC Ch. 1724, ORC Ch. 5722, retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • Official URL: https://cuyahogalandbank.org
  • How it acquires: Primary source is tax foreclosure (direct transfer of tax-foreclosed parcels); additional sources are the State of Ohio forfeiture list, privately foreclosed properties from lenders, Housing Court referrals, and occasional donations. As a CLRC it may also acquire delinquent land with tax liens extinguished simultaneously on transfer (ORC § 5722.21). Source: Cuyahoga Land Bank — About (retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • Disposition: Sells, renovates, or demolishes acquired property; CLRC dispositions may occur without competitive bidding at not less than fair market value (ORC § 5722.07). The entity reports demolishing more than 10,000 blighted structures since 2009. Source: Cuyahoga Land Bank — About (retrieved 2026-06-02).

Genesee County, Michigan — Genesee County Land Bank Authority (GCLBA)

  • Full legal name: Genesee County Land Bank Authority.
  • Authorizing statute: Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Act, 2003 PA 258, MCL 124.751–124.774 (county-authority tier under MCL 124.753). Formed in 2004. Source: Genesee County Land Bank — Who We Are (retrieved 2026-06-02); enabling statute per land-bank-programs (MCL 124.753, retrieved 2026-06-02). Widely cited as the model on which the Fast Track Act was based.
  • Official URL: https://www.thelandbank.org
  • How it acquires: Manages tax-foreclosed properties in Genesee County, receiving title to parcels that pass through the county’s annual tax-foreclosure process (including parcels unsold at the public auction, which vest in the authority by operation of MCL 211.78m). Source: Genesee County Land Bank — Who We Are (retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • Disposition: Sells and rents properties, manages blight and “greening,” and returns parcels to productive use; maintains a public property-search portal. Source: Genesee County Land Bank — What We Do and Locate a Property (retrieved 2026-06-02).

Detroit, Michigan — Detroit Land Bank Authority (DLBA)

  • Full legal name: Detroit Land Bank Authority.
  • Authorizing statute: Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Act, MCL 124.751–124.774 (qualified-city / local-authority tier under MCL 124.753). Originally created in 2008 and expanded to its current scale beginning in 2014 when properties from multiple public entities were consolidated. Source: Detroit Land Bank Authority | City of Detroit (retrieved 2026-06-02); enabling statute per land-bank-programs (MCL 124.753, retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • Official URL: https://buildingdetroit.org
  • How it acquires: Primarily through the tax-foreclosure process and by consolidation/transfer of properties from various public entities into a single authority. It is the City of Detroit’s largest landowner. Source: Detroit Land Bank Authority | City of Detroit (retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • Disposition: Runs its own competitive disposition programs — including “Own It Now,” auctions, and purchase-by-application — that allow homeowners, investors, and community partners to acquire inventory directly rather than through a public tax sale. Source: Detroit Land Bank Authority — Purchase Property (retrieved 2026-06-02).

Greater Syracuse, New York — Greater Syracuse Property Development Corporation (Greater Syracuse Land Bank)

  • Full legal name: Greater Syracuse Property Development Corporation, operating as the Greater Syracuse Land Bank.
  • Authorizing statute: New York Not-for-Profit Corporation Law Article 16 (the New York Land Bank Act; the entity’s own materials cite NFPCL § 1608). Created by Intermunicipal Agreement between the City of Syracuse and Onondaga County; reported as established April 2012 (needs_verification — exact incorporation date not stated on the official page). Source: Greater Syracuse Land Bank — About (retrieved 2026-06-02); enabling statute per land-bank-programs (NFPCL § 1607, retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • Official URL: https://syracuselandbank.org
  • How it acquires: Primarily by transfer from the City of Syracuse and Onondaga County following the City’s delinquent-tax foreclosure process; also acquires through bank foreclosures, donation, and purchase. Source: Greater Syracuse Land Bank — About (retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • Disposition: Stabilizes acquired properties and sells them to qualified/responsible buyers for redevelopment under board-adopted disposition guidelines; also assembles parcels for long-range redevelopment. Maintains a public property listing. Source: Greater Syracuse Land Bank — About and Properties (retrieved 2026-06-02).

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — Philadelphia Land Bank

  • Full legal name: Philadelphia Land Bank.
  • Authorizing framework: Created under the Pennsylvania Land Bank Act (68 Pa. C.S. §§ 2101–2117, Act 153 of 2012) and Philadelphia’s local enabling ordinance (Philadelphia Code Title 16). needs_verification — the Pennsylvania Land Bank Act and the Philadelphia ordinance were not retrieved from a primary source; see land-bank-programs for the unverified PA statute notes. Source for entity: Philadelphia Land Bank | City of Philadelphia (retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • Official URL: https://phillylandbank.org (administered with the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation / PHDC)
  • How it acquires: Acquires publicly owned and tax-delinquent property to return it to productive use through a unified, transparent process; acquisitions are governed by published Acquisition Policies. Acquisition through tax foreclosure and transfer from other City agencies is contemplated by Philadelphia Code § 16-705 (Acquisition). Source: Acquisition and Disposition Policies (retrieved 2026-06-02); Philadelphia Code § 16-705 (retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • Disposition: Disposes of property under published Disposition Policies covering side yards, gardens, business expansion, and development, intended to provide a predictable and transparent process. Source: Acquisition and Disposition Policies (retrieved 2026-06-02).

Fulton County / Atlanta, Georgia — Fulton County/City of Atlanta Land Bank Authority (Metro Atlanta Land Bank)

  • Full legal name: Fulton County/City of Atlanta Land Bank Authority, Inc., operating as the Metro Atlanta Land Bank.
  • Authorizing statute: Georgia land bank enabling law, O.C.G.A. § 48-4-60 et seq. (the Georgia land bank authority statute, as amended). needs_verification — the Georgia statute was not retrieved from a primary source; see land-bank-programs. Source for entity: Metro Atlanta Land Bank and Fulton-Atlanta Land Bank Authority — Fulton County (retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • Official URL: https://metroatlantalandbank.org
  • How it acquires: Acquires non-revenue-generating, non-tax-producing property — including tax-delinquent parcels — through donation, negotiated purchase, and transfer at or after tax sale (Georgia land banks may clear title through the state’s “barment” procedure; see land-bank-programs). Source: Metro Atlanta Land Bank (retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • Disposition: Returns property to productive use to support market and affordable housing, public space, new industry, and jobs; maintains a public property-inventory portal. Source: Metro Atlanta Land Bank (retrieved 2026-06-02).

St. Louis, Missouri — Land Reutilization Authority (LRA)

  • Full legal name: Land Reutilization Authority of the City of St. Louis (LRA).
  • Authorizing statute: Missouri Municipal Land Reutilization Law, RSMo §§ 92.700–92.930 (the entity cites § 92.875 specifically). Established 1971; described by the entity as the oldest land bank in the United States. Housed within and staffed by the St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC). Source: LRA — About (retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • Official URL: https://www.lrastl.org
  • How it acquires: Receives title to all tax-delinquent properties not sold at the Sheriff’s (land tax) sale (i.e., automatic post-sale transfer of unsold parcels), and also receives title through donations. Source: LRA — About (retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • Disposition: Sells through residential home sales (to single-family homeowners or housing developers), side-lot sales to adjacent owners, and commercial property sales supporting economic development and job creation. Source: LRA — About (retrieved 2026-06-02).

Cook County, Illinois — Cook County Land Bank Authority (CCLBA)

  • Full legal name: Cook County Land Bank Authority.
  • Authorizing framework: Established by Cook County ordinance under Illinois enabling authority (the Counties Code intergovernmental/land bank provisions; the Illinois Land Bank Technical Assistance framework, 50 ILCS 74, is also relevant). needs_verification — the Illinois enabling statute was not retrieved from a primary source; see the 50 ILCS 74 note in land-bank-programs. Source for entity: Cook County Land Bank Authority (CCLBA) | Cook County (retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • Official URL: https://cookcountylandbank.org
  • How it acquires: Acquires most inventory as tax certificates at the county Scavenger Sale; also acquires through foreclosure of a municipal lien, deed in lieu of foreclosure, no-cash bids, and donation/conveyance. It can abate back taxes when property is acquired through certain of these avenues. Source: Cook County Land Bank Authority — Buy Land Bank Property | Cook County and Donate or Convey Land (retrieved 2026-06-02).
  • Disposition: Transfers property to pre-qualified buyers and developers for redevelopment and reuse; requires a pre-qualification application to purchase. Source: Purchasing CCLBA Property (retrieved 2026-06-02).

State enabling acts (summary)

The entities above operate under state enabling legislation. The primary-source statutory mechanics — acquisition triggers, auction interface, lien extinguishment, and disposition rules — are documented in detail in land-bank-programs. In brief:

StateEnabling lawRetrieved from primary source?
OhioORC Ch. 5722 (Land Reutilization Program); ORC Ch. 1724 (county land reutilization corporations)Yes ✓
MichiganLand Bank Fast Track Act, 2003 PA 258, MCL 124.751–124.774; auction interface at MCL 211.78mYes ✓
New YorkLand Bank Act, Not-for-Profit Corporation Law Art. 16, §§ 1600–1616Yes ✓ (RPTL Art. 11 conveyance provisions not retrieved)
PennsylvaniaLand Bank Act, 68 Pa. C.S. §§ 2101–2117 (Act 153 of 2012)No — needs_verification
GeorgiaLand bank authority statute, O.C.G.A. § 48-4-60 et seq.No — needs_verification
MissouriMunicipal Land Reutilization Law, RSMo §§ 92.700–92.930Entity-confirmed; statute text not independently retrieved — needs_verification

How land banks affect auction supply

Land banks compress the pool of parcels reaching a competitive public auction through three structural models (detailed in land-bank-programs):

  • Pre-auction selection (Ohio). Designated “nonproductive” parcels are advertised separately and vest in the land bank if no bid exceeds the minimum (ORC § 5722.03, § 5722.04). The land bank effectively sets a floor and is the automatic buyer at that floor; private competition exists only above the minimum bid. County land reutilization corporations (such as the Cuyahoga Land Bank) may remove additional parcels via negotiated tax-certificate purchase before the sale.
  • Post-auction vesting (Michigan). Parcels reach the public auction first, but governmental units hold sequential priority before private bidders, and unsold parcels vest in a land bank authority by operation of law rather than returning to a future sale (MCL 211.78m). The Genesee County and Detroit land banks receive inventory this way. For investors this creates a one-shot annual auction window: parcels not purchased at the sale exit the auction pipeline entirely.
  • Negotiated transfer (New York, Missouri, and others). The county or municipality completes in-rem (or land-tax) foreclosure and then conveys to the land bank under statute or intermunicipal agreement. The Greater Syracuse Land Bank receives City of Syracuse / Onondaga County foreclosures by transfer; the St. Louis LRA receives, by statute, all tax-delinquent parcels not sold at the Sheriff’s sale. Whether the public gets a competitive bidding opportunity before the transfer varies by jurisdiction.

The practical consequence is the same across models: in a county with an active land bank, the public sale list is frequently shorter than the delinquent-tax roll, and many distressed parcels are routed to the land bank’s own disposition programs (side-lot sales, “own it now,” purchase-by-application) instead of a competitive auction.

▸ For Investors / Operators. Before bidding in any county listed here, confirm whether a land bank is active and how it interfaces with the sale: pre-auction selection means the parcel may never appear competitively (the land bank wins at the minimum bid); post-auction vesting means you get one shot at the annual sale before the parcel exits to the land bank; negotiated transfer means the parcel may go directly to the land bank with no public bid. Compare the published sale list against the full delinquent roll, request any “nonproductive land” designation list, and check the land bank’s own disposition programs — those are often the only path to a parcel the auction never offers. See acquisition-risk and lien-survival mechanics in land-bank-programs.

▸ For Former Owners. A transfer of your property to a land bank does not by itself erase any surplus-funds rights that arose from a completed tax sale, and in jurisdictions reformed after tyler-v-hennepin-county you may be entitled to equity beyond the tax debt. Deadlines to claim surplus are short and jurisdiction-specific. Review your surplus rights in surplus-funds and your redemption window in right-of-redemption.

Sources

Legal information, not legal advice. This directory summarizes the structure and publicly stated procedures of selected U.S. land banks as of the last_verified date. Land bank programs, acquisition rules, and disposition policies change and vary significantly at the county and municipal level; some authorizing statutes listed here were identified from official entity materials rather than retrieved from the primary statutory source and are marked needs_verification. Verify current land bank activity, designation lists, and auction procedures directly with the relevant land bank and county auditor, treasurer, or prosecutor before bidding or acting. Consult a licensed attorney before acting on this information.

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