Land Banks and Conservatorship: Connecticut’s New Tools to Stabilize Neighborhoods

October 30, 2019

Laura Settlemyer Director of Blight & Housing Code Enforcement City of Hartford (860) 757-9072 [email protected]

213 Lawrence Street • Bank foreclosure • Bank sold to out-of-town “investor” • Taxes owed to the City ($20,000) • Numerous police calls • Clean up by City DPW ($850) • Board up by City BRT ($3,500) • Fence by City BRT (costs accruing) • Code enforcement secured $79,200 lien against the property • No response from owner CT Public Act 19-175 (HB7277)

An Act Concerning the Creation of Land Bank Authorities

➢ Similar to legislation in New York

➢ NOT mandatory

➢ Requires local ordinance

➢ Public, non-profit entity

➢ Can acquire, hold, and transfer property

➢ Holds property tax-exempt

➢ Funding mechanism: 5/50 tax recapture

➢ Does not have power of eminent domain CT Public Act 19-175 (HB7277)

Land Banks and…

➢ NRZs (Neighborhood Revitalization Zones)

➢ Community Land Trusts

➢ Redevelopment Authorities Notice of Inspection Violation & Order to Correct

Citation Inspection (Fines)

Abatement

Hearing Inspection Officer Hartford Code

Enforcement Lien Process (Adopted March 2017) The Hartford Land Bank

Board of A tool for local government and the Directors community to convert vacant, abandoned, ✓ Melvyn Colon, Southside Institutions and foreclosed Neighborhood Alliance properties into ✓ Laura Settlemyer, City productive use. of Hartford (Blight Remediation) ✓ Karraine Moody, Hartford Habitat for Humanity ✓ Rex Fowler, Hartford Community Loan Fund ✓ Aimee Chambers, City $5 Million of Hartford (Planning) ✓ Jim Horan, Local Grant Initiatives Support Corporation Property Conditions Survey Property Conditions Survey Thank You!

Rep. Rep. Cristin McCarthy Vahey*± Sen. Stephen Cassano Donna Hamzy Carroccia Franklin Perry Rep. Julio Concepcion* Sen. Daniel Lauer Rep. * Rep. *± Sen. Robert Duff Carol O’Donnell Rep. Brandon McGee± Rep. Ronald Napoli*± Sen. Leonard Fasano Jim Smith Rep. Rep. Stephanie Cummings* Sen. Daniel Champagne James Horan Rep. Kevin Ryan Rep. Mathew Blumenthal* Sen. Douglas McCrory Kiley Gosselin Rep. Anthony D’Amelio* Rep. John Frey* Sen. *± Sean Ghio Rep. Irene Haines ± Rep. * Sen. Rosanne Haggerty Rep. ± Rep. Livvy Floren* Sen. Marilyn Moore Dave Foster Rep. ± Sen. Catherine Osten± Patrick McKenna Rep. Douglas Dubitsky Governor Sen. ± Karraine Moody Rep. Jane Garibay± Sen. Norman Needleman± Donna & Thomas Swarr Rep. Patricia Billie Miller± Mayor Luke Bronin Sen. Alexandra Bergstein± Mike Looney Rep. Susan Johnson± Mayor Neil O’Leary Sen. * Melvyn Colón Rep. ± Honorable James Abrams Sen. ± Helene Caloir Rep. Fred Camillo± CCM Rep. Larry Butler± LISC CT Blight Remediation Coalition Rep. ± Harold Webster Smith Foundation Rep. Antonin Felipe± Partnership for Strong Communities Rep. Joseph Serra*± CT Council of Small Towns (COST) CT Trust for Historic Preservation Hartford Delegation Hartford Preservation Alliance Waterbury Delegation Homebuilders & Remodelers Assoc’n of CT Bridgeport Delegation CT Chapter of the American Planning Association New Haven Delegation CT Main Street Center CT DOH & DECD Hartford Foundation for Public Giving

* Co-sponsors of HB7277, now Public Act 19-175 (Land Bank Enabling Legislation) ± Co-sponsors of SB1070, now Public Act 19-92 (Conservatorship/Receivership)