Land Bank Program

Purpose and Organization

The purpose of the Land Bank shall be to efficiently acquire, manage and transform vacant, abandoned, nuisance, dangerous, and/or tax-foreclosed property into productive use in conformance with Kansas statutes and City Ordinance. The Land Bank shall be governed by a Land Bank Board of Trustees (hereinafter referred to as “the Board”), which consists of the Board of City Commissioners of the City of Arkansas City, Kansas.

Mission Statement

The Mission of the Arkansas City Land Bank is to efficiently acquire, manage and transform vacant, abandoned, nuisance and/or tax-foreclosed properties into productive use benefiting the community.  

Goals

1. Expand and grow the tax base of the community.
2. Strengthen and improve Arkansas City neighborhoods.
3. Support home ownership.
4. Promote the construction of infill housing to reduce and eliminate blight.
5. Operate in an effective and efficient manner as stewards of the public trust.
6. Advance the economic and social interest and well-being of the City of Arkansas City and its residents.
7. Transfer ownership of blight/nuisance properties with no known legal owner to a responsible, tax-paying owner.
8. Reduce the number of properties under current violation by the City of Arkansas City Neighborhood Services Division.

Policies

The policies of the land bank are found in the Policy Directives set forth by the Land Bank Board of Trustees.

A short synopsis of those Directives are below.

Requirements of Purchasers

Purchasers shall not be delinquent on any licenses or taxes in Cowley County and not have a history of code enforcement violations.  Unless the property is deemed inappropriate for new construction, all purchasers of property acquired from the Land Bank shall obtain a valid building permit from Arkansas City, Kansas, to construct a new building on the property  within six (6) months from the date of deed transfer to the purchaser.  All property acquired from the Land Bank shall be subject to regular ad valorem taxes levied by all taxing entities within Cowley County, Kansas, unless otherwise abated by an applicable Neighborhood Revitalization Plan or other tax abatement proceeding or agreement.  Purchasers of property shall remain current on all ad valorem taxes during all time the property in question may be eligible for an abatement, otherwise ownership of the property may revert back to the Land Bank.  All property acquired from the Land Bank must be properly maintained with no notices for code violations for a period of one (1) year, otherwise ownership of the property may revert back to the Land Bank.

Requirements of Sellers

In order for the Land Bank Board of Trustees to accept property into the land bank, the property must support the mission and goals of the Land Bank, especially concerning a property that does not sell at a Tax Foreclosure Sale by Cowley County and which retains outstanding special assessments levied by the City of Arkansas City and/or taxes.  The property must be marketable and useful for redevelopment among a number of other factors that the Board of Trustees will examine. 

Next Steps

Those parties interested in purchasing or selling property should fill out the appropriate application below and submit it to the Neighborhood Services Office on the 2nd Floor of City Hall.  Staff will work with the Land Bank Board of Trustees to schedule a meeting for your request to be heard.  At this meeting, you will be able to present your request and answer any questions.  You may also ask any additional questions of the Board at this meeting.  All negotiations are handled by the Board and not by staff.  The board's decisions are final.  If the Board grants your request, staff will prepare a Purchase Contract.  You must fulfill the purchase contract terms prior to transfer of the property including paying the purchase price if applicable.  After the purchase contract is signed, staff is required by state statute to publish a notice of sale and let thirty (30) days pass.  At that time, if all terms have been fulfilled the property will be transferred.  Properties being sold to the Land Bank do not require the public notice publication and the transfer will commence after the terms of any contract have been fulfilled.