In a region where housing of all types and sizes is needed to support a growing workforce, one new build in Martin County represents more than a home — it marks a turning point in how communities can approach growth and infill housing.
The Indiana Uplands Regional Land Bank is leading the single-family home build on a property in Shoals. The Land Bank purchased the Shoals property, and the Martin County Redevelopment Commission contributed funding to make the project possible.
Founded in 2023 and supported by READI 1.0 funding, the Land Bank serves Crawford, Daviess, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, and Orange counties, focusing on revitalizing communities through creative collaboration, community investment, and property redevelopment. The Land Bank acquires properties and returns them to the tax rolls to provide new housing and revitalize and stabilize neighborhoods.
Since its founding, the Land Bank has acquired 20 properties, with several projects underway. Three homes are under renovation, a new home is under construction, and one restored property is pending sale. Two properties are ready for renovation, others have been cleared for new development, a former gas station is nearing redevelopment, and three more properties are expected to be transferred to new owners this fall.
The work of the Land Bank led Jessica Potts, executive director of the Martin County Alliance for Economic Growth, to invite the Land Bank to a Martin County Redevelopment Commission meeting to discuss initiatives and how it addresses dilapidated properties. Through these conversations, the idea of a partnership with the redevelopment commission began to take shape.
“The partnership between the Martin County Redevelopment Commission and the Uplands Regional Land Bank is very meaningful because it allows us to move beyond simply talking about revitalization to making it happen,” Potts said.
She continued, “together, we’re able to take long vacant and blighted properties, clear barriers to redevelopment, and create opportunities for new housing, neighborhood investment, and long-term community growth. For a county our size, these partnerships are extremely critical because no single organization can move the needle forward like this collaboration can.”
Director of the Uplands Regional Land Bank, Bobbie Abel, said the pilot project is the first time the nonprofit and a government unit in the Uplands have partnered to build a home. B0th organizations brought funding to the project, and without the redevelopment commission’s partnership, this new home would not have been possible.
Abel said the approach is designed to be replicated with other communities, with proceeds from each sale reinvested into future housing projects.
“Many governments don’t see housing as part of their role in governing. The Martin County Redevelopment Commission taking the initiative to utilize the new organization to build a home is a first,” she said. “The Land Bank and Martin County RDC hope there will be more opportunities in the future to build workforce housing, which is greatly needed for the region but not often being built new.”
Housing is one of the biggest challenges Martin County faces, and this project is a step toward correcting this challenge and improving the future of Martin County, Potts added.
“We can work hard to attract new residents, young professionals, and workforce talent to our community, but at the end of the day, they need a place to live,” she said. “At the same time, we want the people who already call Martin County home to have quality, attainable housing options that allow them to stay here and continue building their lives here.”
Using this partnership to turn vacant and underutilized properties into new housing is a positive step for the community, Potts continued. “Infill development allows us to build on infrastructure that’s already in place, which makes redevelopment more practical while also strengthening our neighborhoods for the long term,” she said.
The home’s close proximity to downtown, the library, and other local amenities also made the site desirable. “The Land Bank chooses sites that can serve as catalysts for neighborhoods,” Abel said. “We take an active role in inspiring investment, with the hope that neighbors will invest in their own properties, making the area safer and more attractive for residents.”
Construction is scheduled to be completed by August 2026. Once complete, the home will be appraised, listed on the Land Bank’s website, and realtors will be notified. Interested buyers can apply online through the Land Bank.
As construction moves forward, leaders say the project represents more than a single build – it reflects a broader vision for growth and collaboration in Martin County. “This collaboration signals that Martin County is being proactive and strategic about our future growth. We are using infrastructure that is already in place. This partnership says that we are willing to collaborate to make things happen in Martin County,” Potts said.
Abel said the goal is to continue improving communities across the region one property at a time while seeking new partners to help expand efforts to create affordable and workforce housing. For more information or to apply to purchase a property, visit the Land Bank’s website.