LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville Metro Government is looking to change how it sells city-owned vacant properties and lots, hoping to increase home ownership.
The Landbank Authority, which oversees vacant properties and lots in Jefferson County, announced the changes in August. The Landbank Authority is a joint agency of Louisville Metro Government, the Jefferson County Public Schools District and the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Here are the changes they have proposed:
- Collecting demographic data on Landbank buyers;
- Creating a $1 million Landbank Homeownership Improvement Fund to assist with the cost of rehabbing Landbank properties for properties going to an owner-occupant;
- Eliminating first-come, first-serve options for several Landbank programs to offer more fair access to properties;
- Revising scoring criteria for multiple programs to favor neighborhood residents and homeownership;
- Changing applicant eligibility to its Lot On My Block Program to allow long-term renters to purchase vacant lots on their block.
The Landbank Authority is now seeking community input on the proposed changes and will resume accepting applications on vacant properties and lots again Sept. 15.
In parts of Louisville’s West End, more than 60% of residents are renters. This includes the California neighborhood where 25-year-old Christian Davis moved into in Nov. 2021. His home was once an abandoned property that was renovated by a nonprofit called The Housing Partnership, which specializes in affordable housing.
Data released by Louisville Metro states, nearly a quarter of all vacant homes are in the West End. The planned changes to how vacancies are handled aim to tackle both issues. Hoping to see more success stories like those of first-time buyers like Davis.
“I didn’t know really how to feel, but I did feel happy. Not a lot of people in my family are homeowners, so just trying to break generational cycles and everything,” Davis said.
Davis moved back to Louisville last year after getting his master’s degree. He grew up in the West End and now lives just a few blocks from his mother. Davis hopes to be a role model for others and demystify the home-buying process.
“I love to give back and I want people who, in the same community, could look at me as like a young Black male as inspiration to get a home you know in this type of area or whatever area. Just to be able to look and say hey ‘if he can do it I can do it,’” Davis said.
Davis’ two-story home was one of over 120 properties purchased and renovated by The Housing Partnership in 2021. Since 2016, they’ve gained nearly 300 properties.
It’s part of the organization’s Beyond 9th: Revitalizing West Louisville through Strategic Homeownership initiative, which has placed over 330 people into affordable housing. 91% of the head of households identify as Black or African American.
“You know there is over 5,000 vacant (or) abandoned properties in West Louisville, at least that’s been the number for the last 30 years, and we need to have a focused community effort to start making that number smaller on an annual basis,” Andrew Hawes, president and CEO of The Housing Partnership said.
Hawes adds the proposed changes by the Landmark Authority are a step in the right direction. Hawes said the Housing Partnership plans to work with the city to purchase more vacant homes which will be renovated and turned into affordable housing.
On Davis’ block, there are several boarded-up or dilapidated homes. Something he’d like to see change.
“So I would definitely love to see like some of the vacant houses around here to be remodeled, rebuilt, whichever that it needs, long as it’s a new house once the person is ready to move in. So I definitely love to see that,” Davis said.