The Land Bank

Adding value to our communities

Returning vacant properties to productive use throughout Erie County

230 Properties Acquired

44 Renovations Completed

112 Demolitions Completed

 

$8.6M Sale Revenue

$2.4M Assessed Value Returned

$14M Investment Leveraged

Our Mission

The Buffalo Erie Niagara Land Improvement Corporation (BENLIC) seeks to confront and alleviate the problems distressed properties cause to communities by supporting municipal and regional revitalization efforts and strategically acquiring, improving, assembling, and selling distressed, vacant, abandoned, and/or tax-delinquent properties.

Board of Directors Meeting Notice:

Our next meeting will take place on Thursday, July 18 at 2:00pm
403 Main Street (Brisbane Building at Lafayette Square)
5th Floor Conference Room – Room 521 
Buffalo, NY 14203

Current Projects

 ARPA Affordable Infill Housing Initiative

This initiative is BENLIC’s largest project yet. Over $23 Million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding has been committed to BENLIC from the City of Buffalo and Erie County. These funds will be used to construct new homes on vacant lots in the City of Buffalo and Erie County.

Click this link for answers to Frequently Asked Questions about this project.

Click this link for a presentation made by HHL Architects. This presentation was shown at the community meetings conducted by BENLIC.

Adams Street Infill Initiative

Twelve new single-family homes will be built on vacant lots on a block of Adams Street on the East Side of Buffalo. These vacant lots used to have houses on them but have been demolished over the years. Now BENLIC is leading the effort to revitalize the neighborhood and bring it back to life with affordable homeownership opportunities.

Click the following links to view the planned developments on Adams Street: Site Plan, Two-Story Home, Ranch Home

Land Bank Initiative Phase II

The Land Bank Initiative is a grant provided to land banks across the state by New York State Homes and Community Renewal. BENLIC is using $1.5 Million from this grant to fund the rehabilitation of four houses and demolition of four buildings across Erie County.

Legacy Cities

BENLIC has partnered with local MBE contractor, Darold Fountain of Aurora Window Systems, to restore three long-vacant Buffalo homes to their former beauty. BENLIC has provided the homes from its inventory at a reasonable price and will administer of $243,000 in Legacy City Access Program grant funds to the developer.  The goal of this program is to invest in a local minority contractor so they can grow and improve their business while stimulating investment in the community.

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