June 3, 2020
The City of Kingston Land Bank (KCLB) is pleased to announce the hiring of Mike Gilliard as its new executive director. The KCLB is also pleased to announce the addition of three new Kingston residents to its board of directors.
Kingston resident Mike Gilliard has over 15 years of experience developing housing and mixed-use projects along the Eastern Seaboard, including in the Hudson Valley. In senior executive roles with non-profit and for-profit developers, he has worked extensively with municipalities, housing and community organizations. Gilliard has successfully led the production of thousands of new and adaptive-reuse affordable and market-rate homes.
“I am humbled and honored to continue this important work in direct service to the City and all of its residents,” said Michael Gilliard.
The KCLB also recently brought on three new members to its board of directors: Karin Roux, Robert Dennison, and Sarina Pepper. The board is made up of Kingston residents with equal representation among the city’s Wards. Roux will be seated on the Finance committee, Dennison on the Acquisition/Disposition committee, and Pepper on the Communications and Governance committees.
The KCLB is also pleased to announce the establishment of an advisory design committee. The purpose of this Committee is to establish various specific general standards for preserving existing elements of KCLB properties. The design committee will produce a set of Design Standards, which will serve as a list of best practices that individuals or organizations Responding to Requests for Proposals issued by the KCLB. Participation in the committee will be open to members of the public.
The KCLB’s mission is to expand the availability of high-quality, affordable housing stock to existing Kingston residents. In doing so, it will remove barriers to redevelopment and return properties to the tax rolls.
Since launching in November of 2018, The KCLB has launched a website outlining its planned acquisitions throughout the City of Kingston. The KCLB also went through an extensive process to gather community feedback on its disposition policy, including an citywide online survey, neighborhood canvassing, and a public meeting. The disposition policy, which will guide how the KCLB transfers properties in its possession, was passed by the board earlier this year and can be read in full on the KCLB’s website.For more information and to stay informed on the Kingston City Land Bank’s activities, please visit www.kingstoncitylandbank.org.