TRI-COG LAND BANK
Tri-COG Land Bank revitalizes neighborhoods by transitioning abandoned properties to beneficial reuse. TCLB was created after years of advocacy by the SRCOG and the release of the Financial Impact Analysis of Blight report, which outlined the staggering costs of blight on SRCOG member communities.
The central goals of a land bank are to mitigate blight, improve neighborhoods, and stimulate economic growth. There are over 20 land banks across the state of Pennsylvania, each one with unique considerations customized to the communities they serve. From creating new business investment sites to catalyzing community greening projects, land banks play a key role in imagining new possibilities for empty buildings, lots, and houses.
Benefits of addressing blight through a land bank include:
Savings in code enforcement, police, fire, and public works costs.
Reduced crime, especially gun-related violence.
More tax revenue for municipalities, school districts, and county government.
Revitalized communities, attractive for new residents and growth.
Improved health for community members.
Increased property values.