ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - The Albany-Dougherty Land Bank will expand access to homeownership and strengthen neighborhoods by returning tax-delinquent and abandoned properties to productive use, creating pathways for residents to build long-term wealth.

The City of Albany and Dougherty County established the Albany-Dougherty Land Bank in 2017 as an independent authority. The Land Bank focuses on affordable housing, blight removal (the process of eliminating unsafe, deteriorated, or abandoned properties), and neighborhood stabilization through strategic property acquisition and redevelopment.

“The primary purpose of the land bank is to return tax-delinquent, underutilized, or abandoned properties to productive use,” said Paul Forgey, director of the Albany-Dougherty Land Bank. “Strong neighborhoods and homeownership build stable communities.”

The purpose of the Land Bank is to work with properties that go unsold at the annual sheriff’s tax sale, where they acquire eligible parcels (pieces of land that meet the required criteria for the program) through a court process that typically takes about eight months. The properties are advertised online, enabling residents, nonprofits, and developers to identify opportunities for ownership and reinvestment.

The Land Bank has received 369 applications and conveyed approximately 329 properties since its creation. In some cases, the notice process has prompted owners or other stakeholders to pay delinquent taxes (any amount of a required tax that remains unpaid after its required due date), resulting in more than $125,000 returned to local governments.

One of the main focuses of the Land Bank’s work is promoting owner-occupied housing, particularly for low-income and first-time buyers. To support their purpose, homes bought in neighborhoods such as Lincoln Avenue and Madison Street were sold at low cost to residents who became owner-occupants, contributing to state blocks with high rates of homeownership. In Dougherty County, formerly abandoned homes have been remodeled and redone and sold to residents who had previously rented, improving property conditions and neighborhood value.

“We’re often able to sell properties at roughly one-third of their tax value,” Forgey said. “That gives people from the community an opportunity to own property, invest locally, and begin building wealth.”

The Land Bank also partners with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity to seek homeownership opportunities. In one subdivision, approximately 60 lots acquired by the Land Bank were sold to Habitat for Humanity, which is now building homes in phases alongside private developers constructing starter homes.

The Albany-Dougherty Land Bank is governed by a seven-member board selected for the following:

• Professional experience in real estate
• economic development
• law and finance

Residents interested in learning more about the Albany-Dougherty Land Bank or viewing available properties can visit albanydoughertylandbank.com.

Have a news tip or see an error that needs correction? Let us know. Please include the article’s headline in your message.

To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WALB on Facebook and X (Twitter). For more South Georgia news, download the WALB News app from the Apple Store or Google Play.

Copyright 2026 WALB. All rights reserved.