ACTION REQUESTED:
Title
Communication from the City Manager and the Community Development Director with a Request to ADOPT an ORDINANCE Amending CHAPTER 5 of the CODE of the City of Peoria Pertaining to the Establishment of the CITY OF PEORIA LAND BANK.
Body
BACKGROUND: This request is to amend Chapter 5 of the City of Peoria Code to establish a City of Peoria Land Bank. Due to the timing involved with working with the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) and State of Illinois Attorney General's Office (AG), we respectfully ask to skip the first reading traditionally required of ordinance changes and move to adoption of the changes.
The City of Peoria Community Development Department continually explores innovative solutions to improve neighborhoods, reduce blight, protect property values, and increase public safety. Over the last few years, the department has utilized many strategies related to land banking. Strategies have included:
* Demolishing vacant, abandoned, and blighted buildings.
* Obtaining judicial deeds via the abandoned property state statute.
* Transferring vacant lots through the side-lot program.
* Salvaging valuable building materials in partnership with local provide architectural salvage companies.
* Partnering with banks related to bank-owned properties and properties in foreclosure.
Through these activities, the Department has been able to make significant progress to reduce blight in Peoria. Direct examples of progress over the last few years include:
* Obtaining over $1.3 million in Federal and State Grants for Demolitions.
* Obtaining over $2.1 million in Brownfield Assessment and Clean-Up Grants.
* Supporting affordable housing projects in the North Valley and East Bluff through a construction partnership with Habitat for Humanity.
* Supporting affordable housing projects in the East Bluff through a partnership with the Peoria Opportunity Foundation and the Illinois Facilities Fund (IFF).
* Assisting with the crea...
Click here for full text