Our History

The Tennessee General Assembly enacted the Tennessee Local Land Bank Pilot Program in 2012 (TCA 13-30), later expanding it in 2014 to allow municipalities the option of creating a land bank. The Memphis City Council established MMLBA as a quasi-governmental agency to perform the public function of operating a land bank to support economic revitalization by returning properties to productive use. MMLBA relies on the City for funding and is accountable to the City through financial and activity reports, as well as annual audits. Despite this accountability, MMLBA is a legally separate entity, governed by its own Board and organizational documents, with complete authority under the Act to perform its functions independently. In 2016, MMLBA gained nonprofit incorporation status to compete for THDA grant funding. In 2017, it partnered with the Center for Community Progress to design a strategic framework called “Aligning the Tools: Addressing Vacant, Abandoned & Deteriorated Properties in TN.” The MMLBA was created to tackle vacant and blighted properties that contribute to neighborhood deterioration and reduced property values. Despite being established in 2015, MMLBA did not receive budgetary funding until 2020.