Land bank updates proposed

The Urban Affairs Committee heard testimony Jan. 19 on a bill that would make updates to the Nebraska Municipal Land Bank Act.

Omaha Sen. Heath Mello, sponsor of LB699, said the Legislature authorized municipal land banks in 2013 as a way for cities to address vacant and abandoned buildings. The Omaha Land Bank was established in 2014, he said, and LB699 was introduced to update the law and help cities to better deal with problem properties.

Currently, the voting members of a land bank board must represent realtors, the banking industry, real estate developers, a chamber of commerce, a nonprofit involved in affordable housing and an owner of multiple residential or commercial properties.

LB699 would stipulate that a single voting member may satisfy more than one of the representational requirements if he or she has the required qualifications.

The bill also would change certain reporting requirements and add urban agricultural activities, including establishment of community gardens, to the list of potential priorities for land use.

Julia Plucker, testifying on behalf of the Omaha Land Bank, supported the bill’s provision to allow a board member to fill more than one representational requirement. It has been difficult to find qualified individuals to serve on the Omaha board, she said, noting that a seat recently was vacant for seven months after a member had to withdraw.

“We wanted to see a little bit of relaxing of the requirements,” Plucker said.

Testifying on behalf of the city of Omaha in support of LB699, Jack Cheloha said the bill would improve current law regulating land banks.

“[The land bank] is exciting because it’s a public private partnership where the community works together,” he said. “I believe the changes would improve the city’s ability to find qualified board members.”

Charles Gould of Omaha, a member of Omaha Together One Community, also supported the bill.

Allowing the land bank to prioritize community gardens would allow residents to grow fresh food until vacant lots could be redeveloped in the future, he said.

“We know that the land bank can be part of revitalizing older neighborhoods where there are abandoned and tax delinquent properties,” Gould said. “There are quite a number of blocks in urban Omaha where the empty lots outnumber the houses.”

No opposition testimony was given and the committee voted 6-0 to advance the bill to general file.