About The Land Bank

The Buffalo Erie Niagara Land Improvement Corporation (BENLIC) is the name of the land bank that serves all the communities within Erie County. BENLIC is a not-for-profit corporation, formed in 2012 after the passage of the Land Bank Act by New York State. We are joined by 29 other land banks operating throughout the State of New York.

BENLIC exists to return vacant property to productive use. We work with all Erie County municipalities to strategically acquire tax-delinquent and abandoned property. BENLIC typically acquires residential properties, but is not limited in size and scope to any particular property type.

BENLIC works to ensure all properties are brought to a code compliant and livable condition before being offered for sale back to the public.

We are a small office of five full-time staff members. Although our Board of Directors are representatives from the City of Buffalo and Erie County, as well one each from the Cities of Lackawanna and Tonawanda, we are not an agency or department of the City or County.

While all land banks are able to purchase or accept donations of property, BENLIC acquires the majority of its inventory by working with municipalities across Erie County to take in properties that have been abandoned.

Once BENLIC owns a property, we evaluate its condition and determine what is needed to get it back into a responsible owner’s hands. For example, a house in a state of extreme disrepair may be stripped to the studs and fully rebuilt, whereas a house that needs less repairs may be sold as-is to an owner who will perform the work themselves and bring it up to code. A vacant lot may be sold to a neighbor who combines it with their yard; or BENLIC may build a new house on that lot depending on its size and site conditions.

This is done either through construction rehab before a home is brought to market, or through the use of their Vacant to Value program in which the home buyer is required to perform the repairs themselves.

If a property is determined to be in such a state of disrepair that a rehab is unfeasible, BENLIC may elect to demolish it. Once demolished, a new home may be built on that lot, if BENLIC determines that it is a feasible location; or adjacent property owners may be invited to place an offer on the lot and combine with their land.

Homes rehabilitated by BENLIC without external grant funding are priced at fair market value. Homes that use external grant funding may be subject to sales price or buyer-income restrictions.

Simply put, BENLIC does what is necessary to transform vacant and abandoned properties into new opportunities for the community.

The Erie County Department of Real Property Tax Services estimates that over 73,000 properties are tax delinquent. Within this number are thousands of abandoned residential homes, commercial buildings, and vacant lots that continue to drag down nearby property values, pose health risks, and reduce our quality of life. BENLIC was created as a unique tool to alleviate the effects of deteriorating, vacant, and abandoned properties at a scale that can reach across the entire county.

Some of the benefits of our land bank:

Mission-motivated: As a non-profit organization, BENLIC prioritizes community improvement over revenue generation, unlike traditional developers. When we renovate, construct, and sell homes, our focus remains on enhancing the community at every step. Every action we take is dedicated to our mission of transforming vacant properties into assets for the community.

Cost Saving: When BENLIC intervenes to rehabilitate a dilapidated property, it reduces the costs to local governments associated with emergency services and code enforcement, and improves tax revenue.

Versatility: BENLIC has many different tools available to address vacant and abandoned properties. Whether the best option is new construction, demolition, rehabilitation, or resale, we have the experience and capabilities required to take the correct course of action.

Affordable Housing: BENLIC has created affordable housing opportunities through income-restricted home sales. Our latest infill initiatives will create over 60 new housing opportunities for families earning less than the median area income.

Priority is also given to non-profit community organizations willing to construct or rehab the abandoned parcel for the benefit of low­ income families such as Habitat for Humanity.

In the early years of the land bank, the majority of its funding came from the NYS Office of the Attorney General through the Land Bank Community Revitalization Initiative. These funds have been secured through settlements with the nation’s largest banks over misconduct that contributed to the 2008 Housing Crisis.

NYS Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) has also provided funding to BENLIC through the NYS Land Bank Initiative and the Affordable Housing Opportunities Program.

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) distributed economic stimulus from the federal government to municipalities across the nation. Erie County and the City of Buffalo have obligated a combined total of $23.5 million to BENLIC to build affordable local housing. This money will be used to construct high quality new homes on currently vacant lots. Revenue from these home sales will be recycled in order to build as many homes as possible.

As a nonprofit corporation, all proceeds from property sales are shared between BENLIC and the local municipality where a property is situated. These proceeds repay public municipal costs and are circulated back into BENLIC operations so we can continue to fund positive neighborhood change.