HIGHLAND PARK - The Wayne County Land Bank is hosting a Highland Park Side Lot Fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 18, 2019 at Nandi's Knowledge Caf%130, located at 71 Oakman Blvd. in Highland Park.

The Side Lot Fair will provide Highland Park residents the opportunity to identify and purchase eligible public lots near their homes. All available lots will be priced at $250, payable by cashier's check or money order. If a resident qualifies to purchase a property, they will be able to leave the fair with a deed in hand.

The fair will build on the success of the Land Bank's Side Lot Program, which has already placed 163 lots into neighborhood ownership since 2016. In total, the Land Bank has returned almost 300 properties in Highland Park to the tax rolls in that time.

"This Side Lot Fair is grounded in a simple concept: neighbors are best-suited to own vacant lots in their communities," said Daniel Rosenbaum, the Land Bank's executive director. "Hundreds of Highland Park residents have already become property owners through our Side Lot Program. Now, with the fair, we are taking these vacant properties directly to the community, making the process as convenient and easy as possible."

The Side Lot Fair will be hosted in partnership with the Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority (MLB) and the City of Highland Park. Both partners will be available at the Fair to provide added resources for the community. The Michigan Land Bank (MLB) will be available to help residents begin the application process for MLB properties, while the City of Highland Park will be available to give residents more information about purchasing city-owned properties.

The Wayne County Land Bank is a public corporation that owns and manages over 1,200 properties across Wayne County. In addition to its Side Lot Program, the Land Bank also spearheads several other initiatives to rehabilitate depressed properties in Wayne County, including the Compliance Program, Senior Porch Project, Nuisance Abatement Program, and Quiet Title Program.

For more information about the Wayne County Land Bank, please visit www.WayneCountyLandBank.com or contact the Land Bank at wclbinquiries@waynecounty.com.