26-09 Resolution Approving the Interlocal Agreement Between the City of South Bend, the County of St. Joseph, and the Michiana Area Council of Governments Establishing a Land Bank Pursuant to Indiana Code Section 36-7-38 et seq.

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INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT THIS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT ("Agreement") is made and entered into this I 0 day of M ILA' , 2026, by and between St. Joseph County, Indiana, by and through its Board of Commissioners (the "County"), the City of South Bend Common Council (the "City"), and the Michiana Area Council of Governments ("MACOG"). WITNESSETH: WHEREAS, there exists within the City of South Bend ("City") and the County a substantial number of properties in a neglected or unmarketable condition, including tax delinquent properties which are nonrevenue generating, vacant, or dilapidated ("Distressed Property"); and WHEREAS, this Distressed Property contributes to the blight and deterioration of the community and constitutes an economic burden on citizens of the City and the County; and WHEREAS, the City has acquired and removed Distressed Property within the City in an attempt to redevelop and stabilize neighborhoods and ultimately increase property values within the City and the County; and WHEREAS, the County, pursuant to I.C. 6-1.1-24 and 6-1.1-25, acquires title to certain real property that has been identified by the County Treasurer to be delinquent with respect to the payment of real estate taxes ("Tax Delinquent Property"); and WHEREAS, the County, with the support of MACOG, intends to form a countywide land bank ("Land Bank") pursuant to I.C. 36-7-38-2 which will serve as the initial portion of the MACOG Regional Land Bank; and WHEREAS, the new Land Bank exists for the purpose of acquiring certain neglected or unmarketable Tax Delinquent Property from the County, that remain unsold following the County's traditional tax sale process, for purposes of the elimination of blight and its related impacts, and the County desires to facilitate the Land Bank's acquisition of Distressed Property in order to transition nonrevenue generating Tax Delinquent Property into revenue-generating property and increase overall property values within the County; and WHEREAS, the parties are governmental entities, political subdivisions, and/or other entities comprised of governmental entities and political subdivisions organized and existing pursuant to the laws of the State of Indiana; and WHEREAS, Indiana Code 36-1-7, the Interlocal Cooperation Act, authorizes one or more governmental entities to exercise, jointly or by one entity on behalf of others, powers that may be exercised by such units severally; and 1