Land Banks are properties that have become a nuisance to neighborhoods when land owners neglect to keep their buildings secure and habitable, and their lots maintained.  In Virginia, designated Land Banks partner with local governments to acquire problem properties and clear them of liens, secure abandoned residential buildings and maintain vacant lots until responsible stewards are identified.  By offering opportunities for citizens and neighborhood associations to adopt or lease vacant lots for community gardens or orchards, for first-time homebuyers to buy and renovate as owner-occupants, and for developers to assemble land for multi-family developments, Land Banks are a proven strategy for the stabilization of communities throughout the United States.