Presenter urges Washington County to transfer five parcels to new land bank for rehab

A representative of the North Country Rural Development Coalition told the Washington County board it has been forming a nonprofit land bank to take county‑owned abandoned or derelict parcels and return them to productive use. The presenter said NRDC has identified about 10 parcels that have gone through the auction process at least three times and recommended those properties as initial candidates for deed transfer to the land bank. “We at the land bank have been looking at a number of properties that might be suitable for the county to transfer the deeds to the land bank for redevelopment,” the presenter said.

NRDC said it expects support from the Housing Trust Fund Corporation: $2,000,000 for rehabilitation and $200,000 toward operating costs. NRDC introduced two staffers — Jaden, who will manage much of the land‑bank work, and Katie Long, deputy director — and said the land bank would handle insurance, staffing and overhead. Board members asked about contents in structures, access limitations and lead‑hazard screening; NRDC said Phase 1 Brownfields assessments are already funded for three Link properties, which will determine whether further environmental work is required. The presenter asked the county to draft a resolution authorizing transfer of five parcels to the land bank so the organization can proceed with title transfer and initial remediation planning.