Every day, WNCLB brings a community-minded approach to its work:
- Strategic acquisition
We leverage judicial tax sales, voluntary donations, and city transfers to bring properties into the public stewardship where community value is the priority—addressing hotspots of abandonment and preventing speculative flips. - Stabilization & maintenance
Once in our portfolio, each property is secured and monitored. This early intervention discourages further deterioration and opens space for local input before redevelopment begins. - Title & lien resolution
We clear inconsistent or stalled property titles, settle outstanding debts, and smooth ownership transitions so future projects can move forward quickly and responsibly. - Neighborhood-driven placements
Prospective buyers or nonprofits must submit rehab or development plans aligned with community goals—whether that’s building affordable rentals, rehabilitating historic homes, or creating pocket parks. Typically, deals include a five-year enforcement agreement, meaning buyers must complete renovations and occupy or lease the property within that timeframe.
At the core of our process is community participation: from Resident Advisory Committee input to developer selection panels that include neighborhood stakeholders. Our work blends transactional efficiency with thoughtful public engagement.
Case Study:
Rebuilding Hilltop, One Home at a Time: A Community-Driven Transformation
Wilmington’s Lower Hilltop neighborhood is more than lines on a map—it’s the heart of WNCLB’s promise to the community. Where vacancy once defined the streetscape, the Wilmington Land Bank’s Lower Hilltop Equitable Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative is rewriting the story, block by block.
Launched in June 2022, the Hilltop initiative targeted a concentrated zone—roughly between 2nd and 4th Streets, North Franklin and North Van Buren. At the start, more than 50 vacant or derelict properties stood empty. The Land Bank moved fast: it acquired over 40 of those, cleared titles, secured them, and prepped them for transformation.
By mid-2025, Hilltop began to hum with life again. Fourteen homes have already been rehabilitated and sold, with another four under contract and thirteen under construction. A $250,000 grant from Bank of America is now accelerating efforts—helping finish five more homes and ready them for sale.
What does Hilltop look and feel like today? Picture streets where boarded-up façades have given way to freshly painted porches, front yards with new greenery, and first-time homeowners—often local families—unlocking door after door. The Land Bank’s early sales went to Wilmington residents, including single mothers and grandparents working to build generational stability.
But this isn’t just about homes—it’s about community control. The Land Bank prioritized buyers with deep ties to Wilmington. Across all Lower Hilltop sales, 85% of contractors engaged are locally certified disadvantaged business enterprises, and 55% of homebuyers reside in Wilmington. Plus, 85% of buyers overall identify as minority, reflecting purposeful inclusivity. There’s an inspection program in place too: each property must meet rehab milestones within a year, ensuring quality and follow-through.
The impact is tangible—but even more so, emotional. Neighbors report that formerly neglected corners now feel watched over and cared for. Gardens and lawns replace rubble, and families begin to feel rooted again. Where once absentee ownership and speculation churned uncertainty, trust is growing—and with it, a sense of possibility.
Hilltop is a vivid example of how the WNCLB is sparking neighborhood change. Through thoughtful property acquisition, community-centered matching, and patient redevelopment, the Land Bank is doing more than rehabilitating houses—it’s helping residents reclaim their neighborhood. When new homes go up, they’re not just addresses—they’re anchors.
By connecting residents to affordable homeownership, elevating minority contractors, and enforcing community-centered development, the Lower Hilltop Initiative shows what’s possible when revitalization is guided by the people who live there. It’s a transformation born not in spreadsheets, but from the voices, work, and pride of Hilltop itself.