The Land Bank

220+ Properties Transformed • 85 New Construction Homes Completed or Underway • Over $37M Invested in Erie County Communities

Welcome to The Land Bank

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 regular meeting will take place on Thursday, August 20th at 2:30pm at 403 Main Street (Brisbane Building at Lafayette Square) in Conference Room 521, Buffalo, NY 14203

All of our meetings are recorded and posted on this website. If you would like to attend the meeting live, it will be livestreamed on BENLIC’s YouTube Channel.

Executive Director Transition

Executive Director Jocelyn Gordon will be stepping down after more than 12 years of service. As BENLIC’s first Executive Director, Jocelyn helped build the organization from the ground up, leading efforts that returned hundreds of properties to productive use, expanded affordable housing opportunities, and strengthened neighborhoods across Erie County.

Under Jocelyn’s leadership, BENLIC has advanced its mission and:

  • Returned 137 residential structures and 81 vacant lots to productive community use
  • Completed direct rehabilitation of 86 properties.
  • Facilitated 50 Vacant to Value (buyer-improvement) sales.
  • Completed 21 new affordable homes.
  • Positioned the organization to complete 66 additional affordable homes by December 2026.
  • Secured more than $36.9 million in major grant and project funding.
  • Generated more than $10.1 million in reported property sales revenue through 2025.
  • Contributed approximately $2.6 million in increased property tax revenue for Erie County and local municipalities by returning formerly vacant, non-tax-paying properties to the tax rolls.

We thank Jocelyn for her leadership and dedication and wish her continued success. Her final day with BENLIC will be August 21, 2026.

BENLIC is currently seeking its next Executive Director. Applications are being accepted through August 1, 2026.

Interested in leading BENLIC’s next chapter? View the full job posting and application instructions here.

Home Ownership Opportunities

Build Buffalo Roots

More than $23 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding from the City of Buffalo and Erie County is supporting BENLIC’s construction of 52 single‑family homes on formerly vacant lots across Buffalo and Cheektowaga.

Homes are currently for sale in neighborhoods including Black Rock/Riverside, the First Ward, the West Side, Kensington‑Bailey, and Cheektowaga.

As homes are sold, proceeds fuel future development—creating lasting opportunities for more people to build Buffalo roots.

APPLY TO PURCHASE A HOME THROUGH BUILD BUFFALO ROOTS

Adams Street Infill Initiative

NYS Homes and Community Renewal’s (HCR) Affordable Homeownership Opportunity Program provides funding for the new construction of affordable single-family homes. The homes must be sold to households that earn 100% or less of the Area Median Income (AMI) at an affordable sale price.

Twelve single family homes are currently under construction on the 500 block of Adams Street on the East Side of Buffalo. The former demo sites on the block were strategically chosen for this infill initiative due to the high rate of homeownership and proximity to downtown Buffalo. If you are interested in applying to buy a home, please contact MMB Realty Group.

SITE PLAN
TWO STORY HOME
RANCH HOME
HCR AHOP
149 Northland
149 Northland Before
149 Northland After

BENLIC Rehabilitations

The NYS Land Bank Initiative (LBI) grant provided to land banks across the state by NYS Homes and Community Renewal. BENLIC is using this grant to fund ongoing rehabilitation projects throughout the City of Buffalo and Erie County. No income restrictions apply.

The following properties in Buffalo are part of this round of rehabilitations:

249 East Street - Sold
236 Brunswick Boulevard - Sold
702 Norfolk Avenue - Under Contract
149 Northland Avenue - Currently Listed. Click Here to View the Listing on Zillow.

Legacy City ACCESS Program

The NYS HCR Legacy City ACCESS Program provides resources to small developers for renovating vacant properties. This initiative aims to address the significant homeownership gap in communities of color, promoting affordable homeownership for underserved families, especially first-time homebuyers.

BENLIC is partnering with NYS HCR to fund the restoration of three long-vacant homes in Buffalo. Local minority contractor Darold Fountain of Aurora Window Systems will develop the properties. To support this effort, BENLIC has sold the homes from its inventory at a reasonable price and will administer additional LBI 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 revitalizing the community.

HCR Legacy Cities
273 Cable
55 Urban