Kansas City Land Bank Proposal: Learning From Failures Of The Saint Louis Land Bank

Senate Bill 795 would create a land bank in Kansas City. Proponents have argued that, given the foreclosure crisis, they have to do something
about vacancy. I do not dispute the fact that vacancy is a public policy
concern. However, there is no evidence that the land bank legislation
proposed here will be an effective mechanism for getting vacant property
back into private, productive use, nor is there any apparent evidence
that the system of dealing with vacant property already in place in
Kansas City is inadequate.