In September 2023, the Sanilac County Land Bank Authority was awarded a $500,000 grant from the Michigan State Land Bank Authority’s Blight Elimination Program. “The Blight Elimination Program (BEP Program) is a state and federally funded initiative conducted in 4 rounds of awards between October 2022 and February 2026. The Program will invest in disproportionately impacted communities around the state which will attract more investment at the neighborhood level leading directly to the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity’s (LEO) goal of Building Strong Communities and, eventually, to increasing labor force and household income growth. Specific eligible activities are demolition or stabilization of public or privately-owned structures as well as environmental remediation or rehabilitation of publicly owned structures. Rehabilitation as an eligible activity only applies to the federal funds (Rounds 3 and 4).”

The Sanilac County Land Bank Authority Blight Elimination Program is administered by the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) serving Sanilac County, in partnership with the County of Sanilac. Upon learning of the award, the EDC worked with local municipal leaders to identify properties that meet the qualifications of the grant program. The City of Sandusky identified two residential properties on Morse Street that they were planning to demolish to expand parking infrastructure to support the downtown businesses. The Village of Applegate submitted a blighted and unsafe residential property on Main Street, with the intent of demolishing the property and selling a vacant lot for future development. The Village of Lexington submitted a residential property downtown adjacent to the fire department that was unlivable and the Village hoped to demolish and expand the Village’s municipal and emergency services storage capacities. Finally, the City of Brown City identified a tax foreclosure property with great opportunity to be rehabilitated into a livable home.

On behalf of the Sanilac Land Bank Authority, the EDC has followed the procurement policy required by the State and Federal grant funding. RFPs have been released for environmental assessment, abatement, and demolition of the four homes slated for demolition. Bolle Contracting of Clare won the abatement and demolition contracts and will be completing the work in phases. The two Morse Street properties in Sandusky are slated to be demolished once the frost laws are lifted this spring, with the Applegate and Lexington properties to follow.

The Brown City property is set to be rehabilitated following environmental assessment and remediation. Once the property is rehabbed the city plans to sell it. The Sanilac County Land Bank Authority is excited about the prospect of returning a property to the tax role while also working towards alleviating the county’s housing deficit.

If you have questions about the Blight Elimination Program or the work under this program in Sanilac County, contact the EDC.