Land Disposition Policy and Potential Land Bank
Summary
The city owns hundreds of vacant lots bought for housing, some held since the 1990s. Commissioners sparred over whether to adopt a formal disposition policy, sell lots at market value, or reserve them for affordable housing — and agreed to send staff a sale item for the 2215 E. 3rd Street lot at the next meeting.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 8
- Last 30 days
- 0
Last discussed Sep 10, 2026.
Impact analysis
Sale proceeds would flow back into the housing department; the city holds an unsolicited full-price offer on 805 Northeast Avenue.
Buyers, builders and families seeking affordable homes could gain access to city-owned lots and down payment assistance.
Neighbors worry affordable or poorly matched development next to market-rate homes could take away value, and some commissioners fear a restrictive policy slows housing delivery.
Mentions & discussions (8)
Public Workshop - Sep 10, 2026
Commissioner Lucas asked about creating a formal land disposition policy to guide how the city sells or leases its roughly 80 available parcels. The discussion also touched on whether a land bank — like the one Port St. Joe is standing up as a separate nonprofit — could help Panama City manage its properties strategically.
City Commission Meetings - Jul 28, 2026
Twelve long-vacant city lots, mostly in Glenwood, will be sold to builders in paired packages with three options — market rate, discounted, or free dirt for affordable infill homes. Builders must start within a year, lots can't be flipped, and it's a six-month trial.
City Commission Meetings - Jul 14, 2026
The mayor's Spark program and two Glenwood ground leases got tabled so they can be considered together with a councilman's 12-lot builder package and the long-delayed land disposition policy — an attempt to stop case-by-case property deals.
City Commission Meetings - Jun 23, 2026
Commissioner Hughes unveiled a framework for selling or leasing roughly 180 city-owned lots, with ground leases, builder partnerships, and strategic master-planned sites. The Beck Avenue and East 3rd Street properties are the first to move through an RFP process.
City Commission Meetings - May 26, 2026
The city's 0.73-acre lot at 2215 E 3rd Street could host a cottage court — a cluster of small homes — rather than a single-family sale. The commission chose to free the parcel from housing-program restrictions and sweeten the deal for builders, aiming for density and new neighborhood comps.
City Commission Meetings - May 12, 2026
The city owns hundreds of vacant lots bought for housing, some held since the 1990s. Commissioners sparred over whether to adopt a formal disposition policy, sell lots at market value, or reserve them for affordable housing — and agreed to send staff a sale item for the 2215 E. 3rd Street lot at the next meeting.
City Commission Meetings - Apr 28, 2026
Commissioners argued over how quickly to sell or give away city-owned lots for affordable housing, with builders promising homes under $200,000. Staff will research what other Florida cities do and report back within two weeks.
Public Workshop - Mar 23, 2026
Panama City owns dozens of vacant lots acquired over 10-20 years, many bought with housing or CRA funds that restrict how they can be sold. The commission is deciding whether to sell for investment and profit, prioritize affordable housing, or a mix — and how to formally handle the 20-30 unsolicited offers already on the books.
Related development
We'll email you when it's on an upcoming agenda and when it's voted on, at most once a day.
The weekly brief for Panama City
What the council decided, in plain English — one email a week.
Free. Unsubscribe with one click any time. We never sell your email.