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State Rep. Kristian Grant (D-Grand Rapids) testifies in support of her bill in the House Committee on Local Government and Municipal Finance on Nov. 2, 2023, at the House Office Building in Lansing

LANSING, Mich., May 22, 2024 — State Rep. Kristian Grant (D-Grand Rapids) is pleased to announce the successful passage of House Bills 4675 and 4679 through the Michigan House of Representatives. This legislation will support community land banks to be sustainable in the future. These legislative measures exempt community land banks from local user fees and acknowledge that many of those fees will be paid by a buyer once the property is purchased from the local or state land bank.

“Community land banks are pivotal in our efforts to revitalize neighborhoods, build new housing, reduce blight and develop the economies of our hometowns,” Grant said. “Land banks take in properties that no one else will take responsibility for. By exempting them from fees, we are ensuring they have the resources needed to continue to secure the properties, maintain and sell them without additional, undue financial burden. This legislation protects land banks and local municipalities because it ensures that our cities and towns will receive their fees at the time of sale. In the meantime, land banks will work with those communities to make sure the properties are safe and marketable to sell.”

Grant remains committed to advancing policies that promote economic development and enhance the quality of life for all Michiganders. This legislative success is a testament to the collaborative efforts to make Michigan a better place to live, work and raise a family.

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