Ligonier Township and Ligonier Valley School District recently joined the Westmoreland County Land Bank, according to an announcement.
They join dozens of other municipalities and school districts in the county that have each paid $5,000 to enter the land bank since its inception in 2014 with a $50,000 grant from the county redevelopment authority.
The township encompasses 92 square miles, making it the second largest township in the county, the announcement said.
The land bank aims to help municipalities tackle blight problems. Its mission is to purchase blighted or tax-delinquent properties and eventually return the parcels to the tax rolls. Properties can be renovated, or dilapidated buildings on those sites can be demolished.
The land bank reached a milestone in October by selling its 70th property and acquiring its 100th. The agency made its first sale in early 2015.
Several commercial and residential properties are listed for sale on the land bank’s website.
