The Detroit Land Bank Authority is working to bolster its connection with the community on social media and an assist from AI.
DLBA CEO Tammy Daniels noted during a briefing last week at a Detroit City Council subcommittee session that the authority has launched an interactive “Talking with Tammy” segment on its Instagram page, providing real-time responses to questions and concerns from the public.
Daniels said as part of the social media engagement strategy, she’s also inviting Detroiters to join in and discuss their experiences.
In another move to address resident questions and concerns, Daniels touted the May 18 rollout of the land bank’s new website AI chatbot.
The chatbot went live after a seven-week monitoring period to evaluate its usefulness and responsiveness, she said.
“It’s another opportunity for residents to get 24-7 support from the and bank and to answer any questions they may have,” she told council members.
Daniels and other land bank officials gave a rundown on findings and figures outlined in the authority’s most recent quarterly report.
The CEO said that the land bank currently has 56,571 parcels of vacant land in its inventory. Of those, 2,248 side lots are for sale on the DLBA website, and 23,968 neighborhood lots are for sale.
Council Member Latisha Johnson noted that the volume of side lots sold for the quarter (52) was “pretty low” and pressed DLBA officials to do more to promote and facilitate the sale of side lots. Those lots can be purchased for $100 apiece.
The DLBA, Daniels said, intends to host at least two side lot fairs this summer, allowing residents to apply to purchase the lots on the spot. The authority, she said, will investigate whether outreach teams can be deployed to deepen community awareness about side lots. But funding is tight, she said.
In the 2026-27 and prior fiscal budgets, the Detroit City Council eliminated the general fund subsidy for the land bank.
