The General Assembly finds and declares as follows: (1) Delaware's communities are important to the social and economic vitality of Delaware. Whether urban, suburban, or rural, many Delaware communities are struggling to cope with unoccupied properties or properties incapable of lawful occupation. These vacant and abandoned properties represent lost revenue to local governments and significant expenses associated with demolition, safety hazards, increased calls for emergency services, and deterioration of neighborhoods. (2) The need exists to strengthen and revitalize Delaware's economy and address the associated harms that result from high numbers of vacant and abandoned properties. Solving these problems requires a coordinated effort to foster the development of such property back into productive use and promote economic growth. Such problems may include multiple taxing jurisdictions lacking common policies; ineffective property inspection; code enforcement and property rehabilitation support; lengthy or inadequate collection proceedings; depressed real estate markets; and lack of coordination and resources to support economic revitalization. (3) There is an overriding public need to confront the problems caused by vacant, abandoned, and delinquent properties through the creation of new tools to be available to communities throughout Delaware enabling them to turn vacant spaces into vibrant places. (4) Land banks are one of the tools currently utilized by other communities to facilitate the return of vacant, abandoned and delinquent properties to productive use. This chapter enables the creation of land banks in order to return dilapidated and blighted properties to productive use in Delaware.
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