Bill > HB1757

This bill, known as the "Mississippi Land Bank Act," establishes a framework for local governments in Mississippi to create "land banks" – public entities designed to acquire, manage, develop, and sell blighted or abandoned properties, thereby returning them to productive use and commerce. These land banks can be formed by individual local governments (municipalities or counties) or cooperatively by multiple local governments, and they are granted broad powers to facilitate this process. This includes the ability to acquire property through various means, including accepting tax-forfeited properties from the Secretary of State, to clean up, demolish, or rehabilitate properties, and to establish redevelopment and financing structures, such as those that can utilize tax credits and issue bonds. The act also outlines the powers and duties of the land bank's board of directors, its staff, and its operational procedures, including provisions for ethics, public meetings, and public records. Importantly, land banks are granted flexibility in how they dispose of property, allowing for various forms of consideration beyond just monetary payment, and the act clarifies that land banks are exempt from state and local taxation. The bill also includes provisions for land banks to be created in the event of a natural disaster and establishes procedures for quieting and confirming title to properties.

Government Affairs

https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/HB/HB1757.xml