Last month, Smart Chicago took part in the Cook County Land Bank Training. We recorded all the sessions and have a re-cap of the proceedings below. Christopher Whitaker and Joshua Kalov of our team also created and taught the curriculum around Researching vacant properties.
The Land Bank is a great resource for residents and a great partner to Smart Chicago!
Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle announcing a $10 million investment to the Cook County Land Bank
Workshop Agenda
Welcome, Metropolitan Planning Council
MPC will welcome attendees and review the workshop’s goal of introducing participants working in communities across Chicago and Cook County to the Cook County Land Banks and how they can approach partnering with the land banks on redevelopment or community development projects.
Overview of land bank goals, policies, and operations
Brian White, Executive Director, Cook County Land Bank (CCLBA)
Russ Rydin, Executive Director, South Suburban Land bank Authority (SSLBA)
Brent Denzin, Legal Counsel, Ancel Glink (CCLBA and SSLBA)
Brian White will provide an overview of the Cook County Land Bank Authority’s (CCLBA) goals, policies, and operations. Russ Rydin will describe how the South Suburban Land Bank operates in the greater Southland area and how its policies, powers, and operations are similar and different to the CCLBA. Brent Denzin will be available to answer questions on the range of legal considerations that the participants and land banks must contend with in their projects.
How to donate to and acquire property from the Land Banks
Brian White, Executive Director, Cook County Land Bank (CCLBA)
Russ Rydin Executive Director, South Suburban Land bank Authority (SSLBA)
Brent Denzin, Legal Counsel, Ancel Glink (CCLBA and SSLBA)
The executive directors and their legal counsel will provide an overview of prequalification processes for each of their land banks. This section will also explain each of the land banks’ evaluation criteria for property donation and acquisition. Attendees will learn how to partner with the land bank to deliver various services related to the management of properties under the control of the land banks.
Press Conference
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle
Cook County Board Commissioner Bridget Gainer
Larry Richman, CEO or Brant Ahrens, President, Private Bank
Recent transactions from the Cook County and South Suburban Land Banks
Brian White, Executive Director, Cook County Land Bank (CCLBA)
Russ Rydin Executive Director, South Suburban Land bank Authority (SSLBA)
Hear about recent transactions with the land bank and how donors and transferees identified their project goals, researched properties, approached the land banks, partnered with local stakeholders, developed their financing options, and rehabbed their properties.
Researching vacant properties
Christopher Whitaker and Joshua Kalov, Smart Chicago Collaborative
Find out about how to use free online tools to research a property for information on title, tax status, and many other features that will prepare participants do business with land banks. Participants interested in engaging the land banks will need to undertake basic property research in advance of becoming prequalified.
Training and financial resources to support your donation or acquisition
Chicago Rehab Network, Community Investment Corporation, NHS
Learn about financing tools available to support rehabilitation including mortgage products, loans, grants and in-kind resources.
You can find more information about the Cook County Land Bank on their website at http://www.cookcountylandbank.org/. The Cook County Land Bank Resource Guide can be found here.
