GEORGIA PLANNING ASSOCIATION 2013 FALL CONFERENCE JEKYLL ISLAND, GEORGIA OCTOBER 9, 2013 ALISON SOUTHER GOLDEY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Macon-Bibb County LAND BANK AUTHORITY, INC.

The City of Macon, Bibb County, Georgia Population of the City of Macon: 91,000 Population of City and Bibb Co: 156,500 Housing Units ( ): 42,794/69,272 Vacant Housing Units (Macon):9,135 A large inventory of vacant, dilapidated and tax delinquent properties in the inner city Increasing Blight

Strong Partnerships City of Macon: Economic & Community Development Department/Code Enforcement Bibb County Macon Housing Authority/In-Fill Inc. Mercer University Non Profit Developers: Habitat for Humanity & Others Tax Commissioner

Where Do We Start? The Partners evaluated five (5) different areas in the inner city that were designated as target areas Each area contained large inventories of abandoned/vacant property with little market value SWOT Analysis- Identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in each neighborhood Redevelopment Plans for Neighborhoods funded by City Focused on the areas where we could make a huge impact and develop a model to continue in other neighborhoods

Unique Challenges in Inner City Neighborhoods Disinvestment has occurred over decades Code enforcement can’t keep up Crime/drugs, etc., or.... The image of crime/drugs, etc. The erosion of the middle class The preponderance of renters The breakdown of institutions

Properties aren’t always easily obtainable Owners can’t be found, or Owners can be found but don’t have clear title, or Owners can be found and they have clear title, but they want to hold on to property Neighborhood redevelopment fails when we just get the properties that no one else wants The importance of critical mass Hard lessons learned the hard way

Land Bank Mission Our mission is to acquire properties that are underutilized, blighted, tax delinquent and return them to a productive use status Concentrate on properties that can be turned over and redeveloped in a relatively short period of time, not on holding properties with little redevelopment potential

Land Bank Role Acquisition Agency for developers Manage all aspects of acquisition process  Title Reports  Appraisals  Surveys  Relocation  Negotiations  Requesting foreclosures on tax delinquent properties  Forgiving property taxes  Transfer properties with clear title  Monitoring redevelopment

Accomplishments Acquired over 430 properties Hold around 100 properties at any given time 80% of the properties have been put back into a productive use status Partner resource for over $20 million in inner-city revitalization

Prince Street Before

Prince Street- After Critical Mass is important in neighborhood revitalization We worked Street by Street and 40 new homes were constructed in this neighborhood

Prince Street-After

Bowman Street Before

Thirteen Properties Acquired Partnership with River Edge Behavioral Health Center & City of Macon Permanent Supportive Housing for persons with disabilities Funding: NSP 1 and NSP 3 $1.1 Million HUD Section 811 Housing Grant

Bowman Street After

Attract Private Developers

Neighborhood Gardens & Tree Nursery

Executive Director Alison Souther Goldey Board of Directors Bert Bivins, III Tom Ellington Charles O’Neal, Jr. Jeffery Monroe 682 Cherry Street, Suite 300 P.O. Box 6116 Macon, GA Macon-Bibb County Land Bank Authority, Inc.