I've heard this too, people getting sweetheart deals without any process.  All anecdotal of course.

I've read some stuff to that effect on various comment boards and blogs, but it's looked slightly like tin foil hat stuff or a mis-interpretation of what's going on. The intricacies of dealing with post-foreclosure properties are insanely complex, so the paper trail often looks very strange, even when fully innocent. But I've done no personal investigation myself, so certainly can't vouch for the Land Bank, beyond knowing that its architects weren't totally corrupt or nuts.

Unfortunately I'm starting to hear from guys who are into rehabbing old housing that there's some unscrupulous real estate businessfolk starting to corrupt the landbank process. The complaint is that some undue influence is being used to acquire landbank properties near revitalizing neighborhoods and then try to sell them at inflated prices. So they just sit there vacant when developers wanting to return them to productive use were locked out of the process.

 

The Land Bank does not allow the buyer to sit on properties without having the money to fix them.  There is a timeline (I believe 60 days) which the Land Bank gives to the potential title holdet to bring the property completely up to code. Also, the Land Bank requires that the potential title holder show proof that they have the financial wherewithal to completely rehab the property. If the property isn't completely rehabbed, the Land Bank has the right to not transfer the title.

 

With that being said, I'd still be interested to know where the influence is said to be coming from...

 

I've read some stuff to that effect on various comment boards and blogs, but it's looked slightly like tin foil hat stuff or a mis-interpretation of what's going on. The intricacies of dealing with post-foreclosure properties are insanely complex, so the paper trail often looks very strange, even when fully innocent. But I've done no personal investigation myself, so certainly can't vouch for the Land Bank, beyond knowing that its architects weren't totally corrupt or nuts.

 

The writer of that stuff is definitely from the tin foil hat crowd. Still, considering no one other writers were alleging any misconduct involving the Land Bank (apparently only on applicant end), when a small developer asked me who was writing about the Land Bank, I directed him to her. Ironically, the small developer who contacted me is no boy scout. And I wasn't paying close attention to what he was alleging. So this may just be a peeing contest between rivals who are trying to use reporters as weapons.

Kind of wild "time machine" effect, look at the Westview/Wildwood area of Brookpark due south of Hopkins.  Streetview from 2007 still has buildings, the current satellite view does not.

And at the same time they were demolishing those houses someone built just as many right on the other side of Sheldon.