The Lucas County Land Bank received a $13.8 million grant earlier this week from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency to continue its fight against blight in Northwest Ohio.  With this funding, we have now been awarded over $25 million since 2014 to help address the problems associated with vacant and abandoned homes.  The money comes from the Hardest Hit Fund, which is a program administered by the U.S. Treasury Department.  The Blade story about the grant can be found by clicking here.

This money will allow us to demolish an additional 700 blighted structures, which will help increase property values in many our of community’s most challenged neighborhoods.  Of the 18 land banks in Ohio that received funding, Lucas County received the 2nd highest amount (behind only Cuyahoga County) and the highest per capita award of any land bank in the state.  Kudos to the land bank staff.  Their efficient and excellent work has been recognized and rewarded!