The basic purpose of the bank is to obtain and rehabilitate properties before they become irreparable.
Additionally, it will allow for land assembly for larger redevelopment projects, improving the County Trustee auction process, increase the number of properties on the tax rolls, and expand maintenance resources of publicly controlled land to avoid negatively impacting property values.
A Peoria Land Bank Board will be established, as will the paid positions of land manager, community service inspector, and legal administrator.
District One Councilwoman Denise Jackson expressed contentment at the passage, though she said residents need to have input.
“I was glad to finally hear about the city moving forward on the proposal for the land bank. I heard about it quite a few years ago when I attended a regional neighborhood association meeting,” she said.
By Benjamin Cox on May 11, 2021 at 10:39am
New Ward 1 Alderwoman Darcella Speed takes her oath of office during the May 10th Jacksonville City Council Meeting.
Public protection and utilities were the largest items requiring action last night for the new Jacksonville City Council. Prior to the workshop session, Ward 1 Alderwoman Darcella Speed was officially sworn in.
During the workshop session, Jamie Hedden of Benton & Associates gave a second presentation concerning Town Brook Rehabilitation. Hedden said that the Illinois Department of Natural Resources had completed a study on the best solution to eliminating flooding along the Town Brook. He said that IDNR had selected a plan of replacing two culverts at the railroad spur just north of Routt Street to allow for better flow of water. The plan says that 73 structures will be removed from the 100 year flood plain and present capitalized benefits of $5.7 million dollars. The project is estimated to cost a littl
By Benjamin Cox on May 10, 2021 at 1:28pm
The sixth annual National Economic Development week is this week. The Jacksonville Regional Economic Development Corporation is taking the week to reflect on the difficult year of 2020 and the year ahead.
JREDC Executive Director Kristin Jamison says that she really was proud that the organization acted as a liaison for relief for the small business community over the last year: “The JREDC really showed its worth in terms of partnering with other community organizations to work on things like small business loans and grants. We really tried to help be the place of information, and to really get information out to small businesses in this region with regard to relief. That was really, I think, the highlight of our work for this year because it was so important for businesses to have someone to talk to and to facilitate those conversations.”
WGLT
McLean County Clerk Kathy Michael, whose office is based in the McLean County Government Center, says it needs to be clear where the fees collected from taxpayers are going, especially if the legislature wants to double a fee paid on deeds and other real estate documents.
A group of 10 Central Illinois county clerks says they re against a proposal to raise a fee that funds housing authority grants because of discrepancies in data reporting and unequal distribution of grants across the state.
The $9 is collected on real estate documents (such as deeds) that county clerks record. The proposal currently in the Illinois Senate would raise that to $18. It would also create a task force to review how the money from the fee is used.
Sarah Mansur and Tim Kirsininkas
Capitol News Illinois
A federal judge invalidated a nationwide eviction moratorium on Wednesday but the decision will not impact the moratorium on rental evictions in Illinois, according to housing attorneys.
The decision from U.S. District Judge Dabney L. Friedrich involves the eviction moratorium issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that applied to all rental properties nationwide.
The CDC eviction moratorium, which was set to expire on June 30, was issued in an effort to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.