Neighborhood Revitalization

Close to 10 percent of the housing units in Cook County are vacant, which amounts to nearly 55,000 properties. These properties have a devastating effect on neighbors, local businesses and governments at all levels: increases in vacant housing bring increases in crime, reduction in property values and erosion of the quality of life even in previously stable communities. Vacant housing hinders economic development, weakens the tax base and imposes significant costs on municipalities and their taxpayers.

Commissioner Gainer is credited with the creation of the Cook County Land Bank Authority, the largest geographic land bank in the country and the region’s most comprehensive response to reduce the amount and impact of vacant land and abandoned buildings. The passage of the Cook County Land Bank Ordinance was the culmination of more than three years of research and outreach to communities around Cook County and the country that have implemented innovative responses to foreclosure. 

Bringing together realtors, private developers, civic and social leaders, Commissioner Gainer’s work to create the Cook County Land Bank has been noted in the Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune and Crain’s Chicago Business.

For more information and recent updates, please visit Commissioner Gainer's Linkedin page.