Without the hard work of Gus Frangos, Ohio land banks would not exist as they are today. In 2008, on the heels of the national foreclosure crisis, Gus Frangos drafted Ohio House Bill 294 and Senate Bill 353 establishing enhanced-capacity county land banks and expedited administrative tax foreclosure policy. With the stipulation that land banks had to prove their efficacy in Cuyahoga County in one year, the bill passed in December 2008. If an argument would not have been made to fund land banks in that year, then land banks in Ohio would not exist.

15 years and more than 70 Ohio county land banks later, the value of county land banks has been proven, along with Gus’s ongoing passion for and dedication to urban renewal and improving neighborhoods.

Before leading the land banking charge, Gus served as the 13th Ward Cleveland City Councilman and as a Magistrate Judge in the Cleveland Municipal Court where he worked tirelessly writing legislation and programming to benefit his constituents. Gus’s legal career started when he graduated with honors from Cleveland Marshall Law School.

Before Gus passed away unexpectedly on August 10, 2024, he served as the Land Bank President and General Counsel for more than 15 years. His transformative leadership changed the landscape of Cuyahoga County and inspired powerful work across both the state and country.