Municipal league tells senators land banks can clear title, return blighted property to use

Supporters told the Senate Local and Private Committee that SB 2679, the Mississippi Land Bank Act, would give cities a new tool to address vacant and abandoned properties and blight.

Sherry Viza, executive director of the Mississippi Municipal League, told the committee, "it creates a local accountable tool called a land bank to acquire, manage, and return vacant, abandoned, and tax forfeited properties to productive use and to the tax rolls." She said land banks would be created by local resolution, could operate regionally via interlocal agreement, and are subject to open‑meetings, public‑records, ethics rules, annual reporting, and audits.

Committee members asked how the land bank would acquire property and whether authority would be limited to tax‑forfeited parcels. Viza said her understanding is the secretary of state can convey tax‑forfeited properties back to cities and that the bill starts by allowing land banks to work with those parcels, with potential later amendments to expand acquisition authority. Senator Blunt urged the committee to consider allowing land banks to acquire privately owned but stalled or nonmarketable parcels before forfeiture so they can be assembled for redevelopment. The committee moved the bill forward (title sufficient due pass).