Side Lot Program

Applicants may be eligible to apply for a “side lot” if they are an adjacent property owner to a vacant GLBA-eligible property.

Depending on the parcel, an eligible side lot property may either be eligible through the quiet title process or immediate acquisition.

  • The highest priority is given to applicants who personally occupy the adjacent property (touching borders).

  • Applicants are ineligible if they own tax-delinquent property, violate state and local codes and ordinances, or have pending cases to such effect.

  • The minimum price shall be at least all those costs incurred by the GLBA in conducting the property acquisition/disposition (transaction).

After receiving a completed Side Lot Program application, the GLBA staff will verify the information included in the application. The board will then consider the application.

At an upcoming GLBA board meeting, staff will present a recommendation to the Board of Directors based on the applications received.

Immediate Acquisition Properties

IMMEDIATE ACQUISITION PROPERTIES

These properties have had their titles cleared by the Gadsden Land Bank Authority.

They are listed as “Immediate Sale” and will be available for immediate acquisition from the Gadsden Land Bank Authority, subject to GLBA board approval.

Interested parties must submit a separate application for each property of interest. A proposal for each property of interest is required and must be fully completed based on the guidelines listed in the application. All proposals will be reviewed and prioritized.

If the GLBA board accepts and approves your application, ownership of these properties is possible upon scheduling a closing date.

The Quiet Title Process

Only certain properties are eligible for conveyance through the Gadsden Land Bank Authority. In most cases, these properties are tax-delinquent and have been abandoned by the owner of record.

To have a clear title to convey to the new owner, each property must go through a quiet title action process.

This is approximately a 120- to 150-day process but can take up to one year to complete.

Generally, the quiet title process goes through the following steps:

  • An application is submitted to the GLBA.

  • The GLBA Board approves the application and acquisition of the property (at its discretion).

  • The GLBA obtains the Tax Deed from the State of Alabama.

  • The Quiet Title Action begins in Circuit Court.

    • A hearing is advertised in a local newspaper.

    • The judge issues a ruling.

  • If the judge rules in favor of the GLBA, ownership of the property is transferred to the GLBA.

  • Then, the closing process can be scheduled between GLBA and the approved applicant.

  • The GLBA can them deed the property to the interested party, subject to the terms and conditions approved by the GLBA board, including any associated property development agreement(s).