Public Hearing: YES ☐ NO ☒ Department: Community Development
SUBJECT:
Title
Commission District(s): All Districts
Local Government Agreement for the DeKalb Regional Land Bank Authority.
Body
Information Contact: Allen Mitchell, Director
Phone Number: 404-371-2727
PURPOSE:
To consider approving an amendment to the intergovernmental agreement governing the DeKalb Regional Land Bank Authority with the City of Lithonia, in order to extend the intergovernmental agreement and authorizing the Chief Executive Officer to execute all necessary documents.
NEED/IMPACT:
DeKalb County in 2010 engaged in a comprehensive study on workforce housing. That report produced a major
recommendation to establish a land bank in DeKalb County because at the time DeKalb County suffered a fallout of the housing crisis, with a large stock of vacant, abandoned and derelict properties. Such properties present a public safety issue as it attracts crime and vandalism, brings nearby property values down and leads to further blight and unnecessary loss of otherwise decent, affordable housing. Local Jurisdictions in Georgia are authorized to establish land banks pursuant to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated section 48-4-60 et seq. Local jurisdictions establish land banks by adopting an intergovernmental agreement between the County and at least one municipality. DeKalb County re-established a Land Bank through an intergovernmental agreement with the of Lithonia in 2020 and seeks to extend the program.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No cost to the County for Memorandum of Understanding.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended Action
To approve an amendment to the intergovernmental agreement for the DeKalb Regional Land Bank with the City of Lithonia to extend the intergovernmental agreement and authorize the Chief Executive Officer to execute all necessary documents.