The Cuyahoga Land Bank recently played host to Karol Janas, Ph.D., head of the Urban Policy Observatory at the Institute of Urban and Regional Development in Poland, and some of his staff and colleagues. The group was in the U.S. researching urban blight, high vacancy rates, and urban shrinkage.
Cuyahoga Land Bank President and General Counsel Gus Frangos shared insights into its land banking model, its laws and regulations and its day-to-day operations and function within the state. The group learned about Cleveland’s recovery from the foreclosure crisis and the positive role the Cuyahoga Land Bank is playing in the housing market in the region.
The collaborative spent two weeks in the U.S. gaining knowledge that will help in developing policies and strategies for Poland and the Poland of tomorrow. Cuyahoga Land Bank’s Special Projects Manager Marcelina Śladewski, fluent in Polish, was an essential part of the meetings, ensuring nothing was lost in translation.