Statesboro Reviews Renewed Land Bank Authority as Tool for Revitalization and Redevelopment
One Community Update
December 5, 2025
Source: Grice Connect
Statesboro Reviews Renewed Land Bank Authority as Tool for Revitalization and Redevelopment
Statesboro is taking a deeper look at how its Land Bank Authority can support neighborhood revitalization, affordable housing, and redevelopment efforts after Planning and Development Director Justin Williams delivered an extensive presentation during the November 18 work session.
The briefing outlined the history, purpose, and current capabilities of the Land Bank Authority, which has been restructured in recent years to help address long-standing challenges associated with abandoned, tax-delinquent, and deteriorated properties in both the city and Bulloch County.
The Land Bank was originally created in 2002 through an intergovernmental agreement between the City of Statesboro and Bulloch County in connection with the Statesboro Point development. Its purpose has always been straightforward: to acquire vacant, abandoned, or dilapidated properties and return them to productive use, with an emphasis on supporting housing, job creation, and broader community revitalization. However, the authority became largely inactive for several years until local leaders revived it in 2022 by appointing new members from both the city and county.
In 2024, the intergovernmental agreement was updated to bring the authority into alignment with the 2012 Georgia Land Bank Act, which significantly expanded what land banks across the state are allowed to do. Williams explained that this update now gives the local Land Bank access to a full set of modern tools widely used in other communities to combat blight and rebuild underinvested neighborhoods.
How Properties Can Be Acquired
Using information from the updated agreement and statutory powers, Williams outlined the Land Bank’s five main acquisition pathways:
Direct transfers from the City of Statesboro or Bulloch County
Purchases at tax sales
Private donations from individuals, nonprofits, or businesses
Direct property purchases when funding permits
Land banking agreements, which allow owners to temporarily transfer property for holding and maintenance until redevelopment is possible
He emphasized that the Land Bank evaluates several criteria before pursuing a parcel, including alignment with city and county priorities, location within areas targeted for revitalization, whether the property is under a demolition order, potential for redevelopment into housing, and whether multiple parcels could be assembled into a larger redevelopment site. Properties located in historically redlined or underinvested communities are also a key focus, consistent with the authority’s mission to address generational disinvestment.
Why the Land Bank Matters Now
Williams noted that although the authority existed on paper for two decades, it effectively remained dormant until its reactivation in 2022. Since then, both local governments have shown increased interest in using the Land Bank as a strategic redevelopment tool — particularly as the community faces rising housing demand and the need to eliminate blighted structures that impact public safety and neighboring property values.
The updated powers provided under the 2012 Land Bank Act allow the authority to:
Clear titles on encumbered or tax-delinquent properties
Hold land tax-free until a redevelopment partner is identified
Convey property for public benefit projects such as affordable housing
Work with developers, nonprofits, and housing authorities on revitalization plans
These capabilities give Statesboro and Bulloch County an additional pathway to address long-standing issues that traditional code enforcement and tax sale processes alone cannot fully solve.
Next Steps
While no action was required on November 18, the presentation served to give councilmembers a clearer understanding of the Land Bank’s current structure, acquisition tools, and potential role in supporting future housing and redevelopment efforts.
Staff noted that the topic will be discussed further at the City Council’s upcoming retreat, where members are expected to review how the Land Bank could align with broader policy goals and ongoing neighborhood revitalization strategies.
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