Bridget Gainer, Cook County Commissioner – Tenth District
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President Preckwinkle Names Cook County Land Bank Authority Board of Directors
February 8, 2013

Office of the Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
February 5, 2013 

CONTACT 
President's Press Office 
(312) 603-2821 
press@cookcountyil.gov 

President Preckwinkle Names Cook County Land Bank Authority Board Of Directors 
Some funding already secured; County also seeking funds from 
Illinois Attorney General's Foreclosure Settlement 

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced today the members of the Cook County Land Bank Authority's Board of Directors, which will oversee the work of the land bank's efforts to return vacant properties to productive use. 

The board is comprised of a diverse group of professionals with expertise in a variety of fields, including housing, open space, real estate and commercial development to ensure the land bank authority can be nimble in responding to market demands. 

"The land bank will be an important planning tool in the economic revitalization of the County's most blighted neighborhoods," President Preckwinkle said. "We have identified a diverse and dedicated group who will work to redevelop vacant and abandoned properties to put them back on the tax rolls." 

The Chicago Community Trust approved a $149,000 grant to underwrite start-up activities of the Cook County Land Bank Authority including recruiting staff, developing a business plan, creating program and operating policies and procedures, building a website, and other operational activities. The grant also secured the costs of technical assistance provided by the Center for Community Progress (CCP), the premier land bank experts in the country. The Cook County Bureau of Economic Development is preparing to submit a $20 million grant proposal to the Illinois Attorney General's office for capital from the National Foreclosure Settlement to assist in funding the initial phases of the Land Bank Authority's work. 

The members of the Land Bank Authority Board of Directors are: 
  • Bridget Gainer, Cook County Commissioner (D-10th) 
  • Jeffrey Sherwin, Mayor - City of Northlake 
  • Lawrence Grisham, Managing Deputy Commissioner - Chicago Department of Housing & Economic Development 
  • Herman Brewer, Bureau Chief - Cook County Bureau of Economic Development
  • Calvin Holmes - Chicago Community Loan Fund 
  • Carl A. Jenkins - Harris North America 
  • Sarah L. Ware - The Carter Ware Group, Inc. 
  • Stephen Porras - Axia Development 
  • Emy Brawley - Openlands 
  • Julie Dworkin, Policy Director - Chicago Coalition for the Homeless 
To learn more about the Cook County Land Bank Authority, click here.