Mqt. County: Rural Land Bank of the Year
The Marquette County Treasurer has received statewide recognition for her implementation of a land re–use and reform program.
Anne Giroux received one of the top honors from the Center for Community Progress at the 2011 Michigan Land Bank Conference.
She accepted the Rural Land Bank of the Year award, acknowledging the support of Habitat for Humanity, the County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and the county’s townships and cities.
Last November, the Marquette County Land Bank Authority demolished the old West Ishpeming School.
It will be redeveloped as 10 separate lots through Habitat for Humanity and private sale.
Land banks can acquire properties more quickly than other entities, they can spot and prevent potential blight and assemble parcels of land for parks, public works projects and affordable housing initiatives.
A notable facet to the Marquette County program is that the Land Bank Authority has no staff and little funding.
It functions as an offshoot of the treasurer’s office.