MANSFIELD, Ohio – While the Richland County Land Reutilization Corporation will retain its official title for legal purposes, members of the nonprofit entity’s board passed a motion Wednesday to present itself as the Richland County Land Bank going forward.
Bart Hamilton, chair of the land bank board of directors, had board members in attendance say “reutilization” out loud during the organization’s meeting in the Richland County Law Library.
“See, it’s hard to say,” he said after the members finished.
With the change, the land bank’s current logo also will be updated.
“When I look around the state, everybody identifies themselves as the land bank, and as I go to meetings and I see some people try to say the word ‘reutilization,’ it’s hard to do,” Hamilton said. “It’s just easier – we’re a land bank.”
Hamilton added that, except for on legal paperwork, he would like “reutilization” to “go away” completely.
“According to statute in Ohio law, that’s what we’re supposed to be called,” Hamilton said of the official RCLRC title. “That’s the only reason we’re called that.”
Members in attendance unanimously passed the motion.
WEBSITE UPDATES: Mark Cains, who designed the land bank’s website, showed off several website updates to board members during the meeting.
Cains is an information technology specialist with the county and was contracted to work with the site for the land bank.
“It’s been a few months ago [that the site launched],” Hamilton said. “We got all the web names and everything when we first started a couple years ago, but it was kind of a low priority for us.”
The website URL is richlandcountylandbank.org.
Some of the features Cains displayed were an “about us” section, a “FAQs” [frequently asked questions] section, contact information, and success stories, as well as a “properties” section.
“That basically lists what lots and side lots are available,” Cains said.
Rehab properties will not be listed on the website.
Another important feature, according to Hamilton, is the “forms” section, which gives interested parties easy access to download the necessary applications to enter the programs.
INTERNAL PROPERTY REHAB: The land bank discussed conducting its own rehabilitation on a Bon Air Ave. property of which it recently took ownership.
It would be the first time the land bank performed a rehab internally.
The house on the property is in decent shape, Hamilton said, and board members agreed that would make it a prime first property for the organization to do its own rehab.
The property then could be listed with a realtor and could be sold at market value.
“We’re going to actually hire a contractor and do it,” Hamilton said. “The way we do it now is that we take applicants, and we look at the applicants’ financials, and we go out to the property and do a survey.
“From the survey, we figure out if it needs a roof or whatever, and we kind of put that together with the person to show them everything it needs.”
The applicant then goes out and gets the contractor and estimates.
“Then we see where that is and how much money they have, and then we kind of put it together,” said Hamilton, adding that the process works most of the time.
No direct actions were taken on the property during the meeting.
UPDATES: The board passed motions to take ownership of Mansfield locations on E. First St., Central Ave., McPherson St., and Third Ave.
The property on E. First St. was donated and will be demolished with funds from the Neighborhood Initiative program. Once complete, the property will be transferred to be used as a parking lot for the Apostolic Church of Christ at 75 Hedges St.
The vacant lots on Central Ave. and McPherson St. will be transferred to qualified owner-occupants.
Two applicants sought the property on Third Ave. The land bank board passed a motion to transfer the property to its landlord so the parcel can be combined with its neighboring parcel.
The land bank’s next meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. Dec. 16 in the law library.
For more information on the land bank, visit its website at richlandcountylandbank.org.
