Genesee County Land Bank presents latest project - ABC 12 – WJRT – Flint, MI

(10/12/12) - The Genesee County Land Bank is working to clean up the Flint area by renovating homes and knocking down blight.

Friday, the organization showed off its newest project on the city's south side.

It's big, it's blue, and it might be in your budget. The newly remodeled home on East Ninth Street is now for sale.

It's the latest project completed by the Genesee County Land Bank, paid for through a federally funded program.

"The neighborhood stabilization program has done so much for us in the last few years, with demolitions, renovations and even new builds. It's been a real lifeline from the federal government to our community," said Flint mayor Dayne Walling.

The Land Bank says in the two years since the program has been put in to place, they've demolished more than 900 homes, they've renovated 30, and five of them have already been sold.

"What we've tried to do is take what may be the worst house on the block and make it the best house on the block and then improve the property values in the neighborhoods," said Doug Weiland of the Genesee County Land Bank.

That strategy works for homeowners who live near the Land Bank's projects.

"It helps us, it moves us to where we want to go. It helps our image as a neighborhood and also as the city of Flint. It's just another asset to the community," said Claude Miller, Fairfield Village Neighborhood council.

The Land Bank says money from the home sales goes back into the Neighborhood Stabilization Program for future demolitions and renovations.

For more information on the Ninth Street home visit the Land Bank's Facebook page, HERE.