Should the city of Jacksonville get into the property management business?
That’s really what the city would be doing by creating a land bank, an idea being championed by Councilman Bill Gulliford as a way to turn blighted properties from derelict sites to property gems, from civic eyesores to eye-catching developments.
Gulliford’s idea could hold some promise. And what makes it compelling is that land banks have made positive impacts in some communities.
But it’s an effort that would require Jacksonville to make a massive commitment for many years.
So before Jacksonville takes any step to make the hefty investment to start a land bank, there must be a constructive discussion on whether it’s worth the deposit.