State Land Bank Authority invests $450,000 to strengthen local land banks across Michigan

Three-year funding commitment supports Michigan Land Bank Association leadership to build local capacity, advance attainable housing and return properties to productive use

State Land Bank Authority invests $450,000 to strengthen local land banks across Michigan

Three-year funding commitment supports Michigan Land Bank Association leadership to build local capacity, advance attainable housing and return properties to productive use

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State Land Bank Authority (SLBA) is investing $450,000 over three years to support the executive director position at the Michigan Land Bank Association, strengthening local land banks’ ability to create housing, revitalize communities and return properties to productive use across Michigan. The association has appointed Christopher Germain, an experienced leader with more than 15 years of experience in housing, infrastructure and economic development, as its new executive director.

The investment reflects SLBA’s recognition that strong local land banks are essential partners in addressing housing needs and advancing community redevelopment. Through its $135 million statewide Blight Elimination Program, SLBA has seen how building local capacity can help communities move projects forward and put vacant and underused properties back to work.

Germain’s placement in this role as executive director of the association is a result of the State Land Bank’s investment in local land bank partners as they continue to create housing, improve communities across Michigan and support efforts to provide attainable housing and community redevelopment. Communities served by established land banks are better positioned to move projects forward and return properties to productive use.  

“We consistently hear from our local partners that their area of greatest need is resources and expertise to fully address the challenges they are facing,” said State Land Bank Authority Director Joseph Rivet. “Funding this position furthers the impact and efficiency of our work by bringing expertise directly where it is needed and expanding the positive work land banks do.”

The three-year grant commitment of $450,000 requires the Michigan Land Bank Association, a decade-old organization representing all 54 county and three municipal land banks, to demonstrate growth and be self-sustaining. The grant will help support the Michigan Land Bank Association and its ability to develop revenue sources and become self-sustaining.

The Michigan Land Bank Association acts as a unified voice for land banks in Michigan working to convene, educate and create mutual support and capacity building for their members.

"I'm excited to join the association as we are seeing growing evidence of just how impactful land banks have been at facilitating the productive reuse of land across Michigan," said Michigan Land Bank Association Executive Director Christopher Germain. "Working together with the State Land Bank Authority, we will continue to strengthen the capacity of land banks across the state to be key local partners in stabilizing neighborhoods and advancing community goals."

Land banks present a unique, cost-effective opportunity for addressing Michigan’s housing challenges, improving commercial corridors, increasing industrial production and furthering economic opportunities for communities and residents alike. Michigan land banks currently hold more than 80,000 properties across the state. This includes thousands of vacant houses and hundreds of vacant commercial buildings.

Since the Michigan State Legislature passed legislation allowing for the creation of land banks, more than two-thirds of Michigan’s counties have formed one. Land banks operate in every region in the state and currently serve 2.7 million Michigan households. 

Rehabilitating a vacant structure typically costs less than half as much as the cost of new construction. Even for new infill construction, vacant lots held by land banks can reduce development costs because of lower acquisition costs. Over 20 years, land banks turned approximately $400 million of direct net activity cost into nearly $2 billion of investment in Michigan properties. 

Visit Michigan.gov/LandBank for more information on the State Land Bank Authority.

Visit MiLandBank.org for more information on the Michigan Land Bank Association.

Christopher Germain photo