With an avowed renewal to fight blight across the landscape, the Van Buren County Land Bank Board has four new members ready for action in 2020.
The Van Buren County Board of Commissioners recently appointed four new members to the Van Buren County Land Bank Board of Directors, paving the way for the Land Bank to reduce blight and improve communities across Van Buren County beginning next year. Van Buren County Treasurer Trisha Nesbitt will oversee the county Land Bank and serve as chair of the Land Bank Board.
Nesbitt says, “I’m thrilled the Board of Commissioners appointed four highly qualified members to serve on the Land Bank Board and I look forward to working with them to eliminate blight, revitalize communities and return abandoned properties back onto the tax rolls and into productive use.” She adds, “The Land Bank’s board is made up of leaders in government and the business community, and I have no doubt their knowledge and expertise will prove to be invaluable.”
The newly appointed members of the Van Buren County Land Bank Board of Directors are:
- Paul DeYoung, Van Buren County Register of Deeds
- Matthew Newton, Manager of the Village of Decatur
- Cynthia Compton, owner of Compton Inc., real estate developer at Osage Development Corp. and Realtor at King Realty Group
- Zachary Morris, Executive Director for Market Van Buren
Michigan is a pioneer in the land bank movement and has remained at the forefront for more than a decade. The state is home to 42 land banks, representing communities large and small. According to a report released by the Michigan Association of Land Banks, the state’s land banks have put tens of millions of dollars back into local communities and created hundreds of jobs.
Van Buren County established its land bank in 2010 and this is the first time board members have been appointed to the authority.
Nesbitt concludes, “It’s an honor to be joined on the board by four people who bring unique skill-sets to the table,” adding, “We’re excited to get to work improving communities throughout Van Buren County – one blighted property at a time.”
The photo accompanying this story on Moody on the Market is for illustration purposes only, and does not depict an actual blighted property in Van Buren County.
