Land Bank Ribbon Cutting to Celebrate 1st New Construction Home

Kansas City, KS- Today the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas hosted a ribbon cutting to celebrate the first new construction home completed through the Land Bank Program. The recently constructed home is in the historic KCK neighborhood of Armourdale. 

"One of our greatest assets is our neighborhoods and the Land Bank is a strategic program we can leverage to grow our community in a sustainable, affordable way,” said CEO/Mayor Tyrone A. Garner. “This project is evidence of how our own community members can work with us to restore and rehabilitate some of our most historic neighborhoods as we look ahead, making Wyandotte County a desirable place to live, work and play.” 

The Land Bank Program was created to return blighted and tax delinquent properties into community assets, supporting vibrant neighborhoods across Wyandotte County. With more than 3,500 vacant lots acquired by the Unified Government through the judicial foreclosures and donations, the Department of Economic Development matches interested community members, home builders, community organizations, and developers with affordable property for rehabilitation or construction. Land Bank parcels sell for $1 to reduce the cost of land acquisition to make building more affordable in an increasingly more competitive and expensive construction sector. 

"The Land Bank has been working for years to reduce obstacles in the building process and bolster the market to make it easier to build new homes in every neighborhood in Wyandotte County,” said Unified Government Economic Development Director, Katherine Carttar. “This is the first of many homes to be built on Land Bank properties to restore vacant parcels into vibrant places.”  

The Land Bank program brings multiple benefits to our existing neighborhoods by revitalizing otherwise vacant lots, using existing infrastructure to help maintain affordability, increasing neighborhood density across our community, and growing our tax base. Applicants can benefit from various incentives and savings such as waived utility connection fees by the Board of Public Utilities, no sewer connection or building permit fees. Additionally, the Unified Government offers up to ten years of property tax rebates through its Neighborhood Revitalization Act program.  

How the Land Bank Program Works 

There are four simple steps to apply for a Land Bank property.  

1. Start by identifying a preferred parcel or property via an interactive map found at wycokck.org/landbank
2. Complete a short, seven question form to let the Unified Government know your interest and proposed project scope.
3. Once approved by the Board of Commissioners, the applicant has a year-long option to begin work on the property.
4. Apply for permits and begin construction.

The option process gives the applicant a year to work through preparing a property for construction, including the design and financing of the project. The Unified Government does not transfer the deed to the property until certain requirements are fulfilled, allowing the government to return the property to the Land Bank if the project stalls. To receive the deed, the applicant must submit: an approved building permit; planning approvals (if required); cost estimate to build; and proof of funds to cover building costs. At the end of the option year, the applicant can request an extension if progress can be demonstrated but not all criteria has been met for the deed transfer.