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There will be a public ordinance meeting in the Commissioners Meeting Room with the Zoning Commission on Thursday February 12, 2026 at 2PM recommending three ordinance proposals for Short Term Rentals, Site Standards, and Impact fees.

Land Bank

What does a County Land Bank do? 

  • County land banks facilitate the return of vacant, abandoned and tax-foreclosed properties to productive economic use. 
  • County land banks take ownership of properties and clear title, assemble parcels for housing development
  • Manage properties until redevelopment can begin.
  • This process may take months or, more likely, years.

How many Counties in Ohio have Land Banks?

  • 72 of the 88 Counties

What are the benefits of county Land Bank?

  • Stabilize housing base by eliminating uninhabitable or functionally obsolete housing from the market
  • Redevelopment of Communities through housing revitalization and new builds

How have County Land Banks Benefited Communities in Ohio?

  • Over 5,000 property renovations throughout Ohio
  • Over 33,000 demolitions by Ohio County Land Banks
  • Ohio County Land Banks have invested over $4 Billion into their local communities

What happens to the unpaid delinquent taxes when a Land Bank acquires a property?

  • All delinquent taxes are waived
  • No taxes will accrue while the Land Bank holds the property, allowing for a clean title transfer upon sale

How does a County Land Bank acquire property?

  • Tax Foreclosed and abandoned properties, if they have not sold at Sheriff’s sale may be directly transferred
  • Lending institutions transfer low-value properties to the Land Bank
  • HUD may transfer low-value properties to the county Land Banks
  • Private Individuals and probate estates will transfer low value and worthless properties to the Land bank

Who controls a County Land Bank?

  • 5 Member board including the following
    • County Treasurer
    • 2 County Commissioners
    • The Mayor of the largest municipality in the county
    • 1 at large position for someone with real estate experience

How is a County Land Bank funded?

  • 5% of Delinquent Tax Collection
  • Grants
  • Loans
  • Sales of property held by the Land Bank

What are the benefits of county Land Bank?

  • Stabilize housing base by eliminating uninhabitable or functionally obsolete housing from the market
  • Redevelopment of Communities through housing revitalization and new builds

In Hocking County Specifically, what is the goal for the properties acquired by the Land Bank?

  • To develop affordable housing for members of the community

Won’t the Properties be turned into AirBnB’s?

  • All residential properties acquired by the Hocking County Land Bank will be deed restricted to prevent nightly rentals

Who Can Purchase the Properties Owned by the Land Bank?

  • For revitalized houses held by the Land Bank
    • Any private individual that demonstrates the following:
      • A need for single family housing
      • Financial affordability
      • Agrees to maintain the owner occupied status
    • Priority will be granted on a needs basis
  • Vacant Land held by the Land Bank
    • A private individual that is committed to building an owner occupied single family house
    • A company that is committed to building affordable single family homes

Who Cannot Purchase Properties Held by the Land Bank?

  • Any member of the Hocking County Land Bank Board
  • The most recent previous owner of the property