The Junction City Commission sitting as the Land Bank Board of Directors has agreed to accept more than 900 vacant housing lots on the west side of the city into the new Land Bank.

That means the city is willing to accept the lots once they’re deeded over by Geary County. Katie Logan, city attorney, will begin to work with the county attorney to have the lots deeded to the Land bank. “Once those lots are deeded into the City Land Bank, then under the statutory authority the City Land Bank has the authority to sell those lots under whatever term it proposes and also to hold them.”

Past property taxes due are forgiven, but special assessments are not unless the City decides to abate them. Those assessments could possibly be reduced in the future if officials are able to obtain a favorable opinion  from the Attorney General allowing them to be reamortized. That could lead to a reduction in the monthly payments that would have to be paid on those assessments by those acquiring the property in the future.