The Waterbury Land Bank Authority is a vehicle for supporting broader community development.

The Waterbury Land Bank Authority (“WLB”) works to enhance the quality of life for Waterbury residents. We do this by repurposing vacant lots and structures into new community assets. We work closely with the City of Waterbury, other community nonprofits, and local businesses to catalyze neighborhood investments. The WLB is an economic development tool which can be utilized to generate real estate tax revenues for the City, promote economic and physical well-being to area residents, and enhance property values to homeowners who participate in our Side Lot Program. By merging abutting parcels sold by the WLB, adding land area to existing residential parcels, this additional land area can be used by the existing homeowner as on-site parking, or to simply just use as extra yard area for their family. Additionally, the WLB intended use priorities include homeownership opportunities along with infill housing development, housing rehabilitation, community gardens or greening projects, and expanding Waterbury’s tree canopy. Our work promotes a mix of housing options, reduces blight, and clears dilapidated structures to allow new development.

The mission for the Waterbury Land Bank is “To strengthen neighborhoods by returning distressed property to productive use, promoting economic development, increasing real property values, and improving the quality of life for Waterbury residents.”

           
BULLETIN BOARD
 
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 Future WLB Properties will be Offered for Sale

If you're interested in purchasing a property from the Waterbury Land Bank Authority, please create a user account.

The WLB priority for the disposition of property is homeownership opportunities to those who wish to reside in the homes they purchase from the WLB. Please see further discussion of the priorities, process, and restrictions on our web page.

 

 

ACQUIRING A PROPERTY

There are a variety of opportunities through the Waterbury Land Bank, with programs that make acquiring a property very accessible. Explore our programs and services to see how affordable it is to join in the growth of Waterbury.

Priority is given to buyers who intend on residing in the home they acquire from the WLB. Creating strong residential communities and promoting homeownership is included in our strategic plan.

View Programs

NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE WE WORK

The Waterbury Land Bank Authority geographical target is the City of Waterbury.

Our overall objectives include:

  • To develop in-fill housing that increases the supply of affordable housing and increases community equity for new owner-occupants.
  • To reduce density in neighborhoods through strategic demolition of blighted properties, therefore, providing more air, light, and space between properties.
  • To promote housing rehabilitation, creating more affordable housing or better living conditions for Waterbury residents.
  • To convert vacant lots into useable space such as off-street accessory parking, or community gardens for residents to produce healthy foods where food scarcity may exist.
  • To increase the urban tree canopy and improve the natural resiliency by planting native trees and shrubs on selected non-developable land slivers.
  • To promote our Side Lot Program and sell or transfer vacant lots (land slivers and others) to responsible adjoining property owners.

Our activities will predominantly serve “disproportionately impacted” or “impacted” neighborhood areas or households.

“Disproportionately impacted” households include households earning less than 40% of area median income (AMI) or households at 150% of poverty guidelines.

“Impacted” households include households earning less than 65% the area median income or households at 300% of poverty guidelines.

Area Median Income, or AMI, is a statistic published HUD that estimates the median wealth of households in a specific area. AMI is used to determine qualification for a variety of housing programs, including Section 8 programs, as well as to determine eligibility for LIHTC credits.

The Waterbury Land Bank has identified 13 neighborhoods close to downtown, where incidences of blighted and dilapidated housing appear to be are greatest. The map illustration shows the neighborhoods in Waterbury, and the highlighted neighborhoods are those which the WLB will initially target including: Berkely Heights, Brooklyn*, Crownbrook*, Hillside*, Hopeville (north end), New PAC*, North End, Overlook (southern half), South End*, Washington Hill *, Waterville, Willow Plaza*, and WOW*.

Neighborhoods noted by “*” are those where the city and its partners have been actively working on community revitalization and where we believe WLB’s activities can enhance the durability and success of those efforts.

Additional information:

https://www.thewaterbury.com/living-in-waterbury-ct/waterbury-neighborhoods

Click the highlighted neighborhoods on the map below to see details about each neighborhood. This information will be expanded upon as we work closely with neighborhood associations and residents.

See What People Are Saying

As Mayor of the City of Waterbury, I am very pleased to write the testimonial below in support of the Waterbury Land Bank Authority: "Congratulations to the Waterbury Land Bank Authority on obtaining funding to initiate neighborhood redevelopment and the creation of new housing stock in the city which will spur economic development in the W.O.W. neighborhood with a widening positive effect on surrounding communities. The City of Waterbury is entering into an exciting new phase of revitalization with the establishment of the Waterbury Land Bank Authority. It is clear that the Land Bank Board of Directors and staff are deeply committed to addressing unproductive land within the city while also pursuing improvement of housing opportunities for Waterbury residents. The positive economic impact through these efforts will bring blighted and distressed properties back onto the tax rolls and into productive use. As former President of the Board of Aldermen, and now as Mayor of the City of Waterbury, I have been a strong supporter of the creation of the land bank and I have witnessed the steady growth and strategic planning of the WLB. As collaborators in this endeavor to address blight, my staff and I are enthusiastic in the progress being made and very excited about the future outcomes from the WLB."     Paul K. Pernerewski Jr. - Mayor, City of Waterbury

“The Waterbury Land Bank Authority is pivotal for the management of vacant lots and properties so they can be redeveloped for a better, more productive use. Its work will continue to help the economic development and redevelopment efforts throughout our city allowing businesses to grow and thrive. The Waterbury Regional Chamber supports the Waterbury Land Bank Authority’s work to further help the city acquire and rehabilitate abandoned and blighted properties”

Waterbury Regional Chamber

“The Harold Webster Smith Foundation has backed the newly established Waterbury Land Bank Authority from the very beginning. We salute Mayor O’Leary and the Board of Aldermen for bringing this important initiative to life.  Under its experienced and committed staff and board, the Land Bank has great promise to strengthen the City’s neighborhoods by returning distressed properties to productive use, promoting economic revitalization, improving housing and advancing equitable opportunity for Waterbury residents.”

Jim Smith, Chairman, 
Harold Webster Smith Foundation

“LISC is excited to see the Waterbury Land Bank get started, and we look forward to working with it to fight blight, build wealth, and revitalize neighborhoods.”

Jim Horan, Executive Director
LISC Connecticut | Local Initiatives Support Corporation