The board voted 8-5 against the land bank at its Jan. 25 meeting in the county Administration Building in Mount Clemens, two days after it gave initial approval in a 7-5 vote at the Finance Budget and Audit Committee meeting.
Matt Pitters, managing director at Hunch Free, acknowledged at the meeting the contract increasing by 15% but noted the company's heightened efforts as well as rising staff costs. He also noted this is the first increase in the deal.
A land bank authority would acquire distressed, unwanted properties, typically those in tax foreclosure, and rehabilitate and try to resell them to put them back on the tax rolls and help spur economic activity.