Post Type
Surplus Land Act Advocacy
About the Campaign
Public Advocates aims to support local campaigns that are advocating for more affordable housing. One way to access more affordable housing is through the Surplus Land Act. When a local public agency disposes of property that it no longer needs, the land can be developed for the purpose of affordable housing. PA keeps a close eye over agencies to make sure they follow the law during the time of disposing their land. As the SLA is amended and implemented, we work with local nonprofits and state entities like HCD to ensure the SLA is carefully followed. In this way, we are making sure that all possible avenues to increase housing for low-income communities, becomes available.
PA has teamed up with other advocacy groups to create the Surplus Land Act flowchart and Great Communities FAQ which outlines how public agencies should be disposing of their land.
Recently, Public Advocates supported a local affordable housing developer to investigate a sale that potentially violated the Surplus Land Act and submitted a complaint to the state Department of Housing and Community Development. Follow up conversations with the Department have contributed to conversations with advocates around the state about ways the law could be updated to ensure better coverage of unlawful public land dispositions.