Conway Springs Land Bank

Strengthening our Neighborhood. 

The purpose of the Land Bank shall be to efficiently acquire, manage and transform vacant, abandoned, nuisance, dangerous, and/or tax-foreclosed property into productive use in conformance with Kansas statutes and City Ordinances. The Land Bank shall be governed by a Land Bank Board of Trustees, which consists of the governing body of the City of Conway Springs, Kansas.

What is a Land Bank?

Land banks are public entities with unique governmental powers created pursuant to state-enabling legislation, which are solely focused on converting problem properties into productive use according to local community goals.  Vacant, abandoned, and tax-delinquent properties are often grouped together as “problem properties” because they destabilize neighborhoods, create fire and safety hazards, drive down property values, and drain local tax dollars.  In some sense, these are properties the private market has altogether rejected.  Land banks acquire these properties with the intention of either immediately returning these properties to productive use, or temporarily holding and maintaining them for the purpose of stabilizing distressed markets or fulfilling long-term land use goals.  Land banks, in essence, are a direct response to the growing trend of vacancy and abandonment, created to strategically acquire problem properties and convert these liabilities into assets.  In short land banks are intended to acquire these problem properties, eliminate the liabilities, and transfer the properties to new, responsible owners in a transparent manner that results in outcomes consistent with community-based plans.  Most land banks have special powers, granted by the city government, that enable them to undertake these activities fare more effectively and efficiently that other public or nonprofit entities.  When thoughtfully executed, land banks can resolve some of the toughest barriers to returning land to productive use, helping unlock the value of problem properties and converting them to assets for community revitalization.

Land Bank Members

Brandon Salisbury - Chairman

Ryan Crowell - Co Chair

Christy Cobb

Donna Devlin

Lori Gerber

Larry Roth

Contact Information

Please address all questions to conwayspringslandbank@gmail.com 

Land Bank FAQ

How do land banks work? 

·         Land banks are designed to acquire and maintain problem properties and then transfer them back to responsible ownership and productive use in accordance with local land use goals and priorities, creating a more efficient and effective system to eliminate blight.

How are land banks funded? 

·         Land banks are generally funded through a variety of sources, which may include revenue from the sale of properties, foundation grants, general fund appropriations from local and county governments, and federal and state grants.

How are land banks created?

·         Typically, land banks are created as public entities by a local ordinance, pursuant to authority provided in state-enabling legislation.  Land banking programs can also be developed within existing entities, such as redevelopment authorities, housing departments or planning departments.

What kinds of properties do land banks acquire?

·         Most land bank acquisitions are vacant, residential, tax delinquent properties.  In addition to tax foreclosed parcels, land banks can acquire Real Estate Owned properties and receive private donations and public land transfers.  Although most properties are typically vacant residential single-family homes or vacant lots, land banks also acquire multi-family dwellings, commercial and industrial properties, and in rare cases, occupied rental properties.  In fact, some land banks even have well-developed brownfield programs through which they acquire large scale, formerly industrial properties.