Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro along with City of Poughkeepsie Mayor Rob Rolison has announced that the creation of a land bank has been approved by Empire State Development Corporation.

The land bank will allow Dutchess County and the City of Poughkeepsie to return abandoned, vacant, and tax-delinquent properties within the community to more productive spaces.

The New York State Land Bank Program allows local municipalities to apply to create not-for-profit corporations in their community by using properties that are abandoned or delinquent on payments of taxes.

This program helps eliminate harms and liabilities that rundown properties can cause.

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro said:

Too often properties that are abandoned and not maintained become a safety risk and discourage local businesses or families from moving into a neighborhood. These properties could, and should, be put to better use, and this land bank will be an important tool for transforming some of the blighted properties within the City of Poughkeepsie. We are grateful to the Empire State Development Corporation for their support of this opportunity and look forward to working collaboratively to redevelop these properties to better serve the community as a whole

The land bank will have nine board members, who will be appointed by the County Executive, County Legislators, the Mayor, and the Common Council. That board will be meeting within the next two months to discuss the adoption of by-laws, and to appoint the proper staffing.

For more information, contact the Dutchess County Department of Planning and Development at (845) 486-3600

 

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