The Impact of City and County Landbanks
Major
Political Science
Submission Type
Oral Presentation
Area of Study or Work
Political Science
Faculty Advisor
Tari Renner
Location
CNS E103
Start Date
4-11-2026 11:15 AM
End Date
4-11-2026 12:15 PM
Abstract
Due to the massive wave of deindustrialization experienced by the United States, there is a large volume of vacant property in the “Rust Belt”. To solve this problem, several counties and cities within that region have implemented Land Banks. Still, there is significant debate on how well these programs address community needs. There is also a gap in the literature in assessing if City and County Land Banks are associated with better outcomes than each other. To address this question, this study did a comparative analysis of two County and two City land Banks. They were compared by amount of blight destroyed, impact on crime, and adherence to community goals. County Land Banks were found to be associated with greater blight destruction, decrease in crime, and better adherence to community goals. However, more research into the organizational structure and specific programs Land Banks offer may be useful determiners of their effectiveness.
The Impact of City and County Landbanks
CNS E103
Due to the massive wave of deindustrialization experienced by the United States, there is a large volume of vacant property in the “Rust Belt”. To solve this problem, several counties and cities within that region have implemented Land Banks. Still, there is significant debate on how well these programs address community needs. There is also a gap in the literature in assessing if City and County Land Banks are associated with better outcomes than each other. To address this question, this study did a comparative analysis of two County and two City land Banks. They were compared by amount of blight destroyed, impact on crime, and adherence to community goals. County Land Banks were found to be associated with greater blight destruction, decrease in crime, and better adherence to community goals. However, more research into the organizational structure and specific programs Land Banks offer may be useful determiners of their effectiveness.