West Virginia Land Stewardship Corporation

06/03/2026

We love to hear about the connections made at the Mountain State Land Use Summit! One attendee shared,

"I had some very valuable conversations and made important connections with others during the receptions and side quests...I got to talk about community engagement strategies for a community center opening later this year."

Conversations like this are the foundation of land use and reuse: neighbors and practitioners coming together, learning, and building the partnerships that turn ideas into reality.

What are some connections you made at the 2026 Summit? Let us know in the comments!

05/27/2026

One of our favorite parts of the Mountain State Land Use Summit is connecting with communities across our state and experiencing what our hosts have to offer. Where should the Summit go next year? Let us know in the comments!

05/20/2026

We had an amazing time hosting the 2026 Mountain State Land Use Summit in Charleston! This year's Summit brought together over 125 attendees, representing land banks, professional planners, conservationists, municipal and county officials, citizens, realtors, health providers, and more.
Don't miss out on joining the conversation next year-- Mark your calendars for the 2027 Mountain State Land Use Summit, May 18-20, 2027!

04/29/2026

You asked, we extended registration! With just under a week until the second annual Mountain State Land Use Summit, we're leaving registration open until Monday, May 4 to accommodate demand. You don't want to miss the land use and reuse event of the year -- register now!

Register online for Mountain State Land Use Summit 2026 here.

04/22/2026

With just one week left to register for the second annual Mountain State Land Use Summit, we'd like to highlight our keynote speaker!

Brian Larkin, a nationally recognized leader in land banking and Director of the National Land Bank Network at the Center for Community Progress, brings an energizing and deeply informed perspective to our keynote this year. This keynote will draw from on-the-ground experience and national insight, offering a compelling vision for how bold leadership, cross-sector collaboration, and innovative land use strategies can reshape local housing ecosystems.

This dynamic and forward-looking conversation will highlight how communities are leveraging new tools, partnerships, and engagement strategies to work more collectively and effectively. From rethinking land bank authorities to integrating technology and community-driven approaches, attendees will gain insight into how collaboration across governments, nonprofits, and private actors is unlocking scalable solutions to the current housing crisis, with a theme of moving beyond silos and embracing a shared path forward.

Register today through the link below!
https://wvlsc.regfox.com/mountain-state-land-use-summit-2026

04/20/2026

Physical copies of the Program Roadmap have arrived! This publication outlines a range of program models - like Side Lots sales, Community Lot Leasing, Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation, and Small Business Development - that help land banks align property reuse with local goals. Whether you’re supporting new homeowners, improving public spaces, or creating opportunities for local entrepreneurship, land banks can serve as a key partner in growing stronger, more resilient communities and furthering local economic development.

Be the first to receive a copy at the second annual Mountain State Land Use Summit, May 5-7 in Charleston. Register using the link below!

https://wvlsc.regfox.com/mountain-state-land-use-summit-2026

04/07/2026

With just under a month until the second annual Mountain State Land Use Summit, we’re excited to share the venue for Wednesday night’s reception: Ursus Brew Works!

Ursus Brew Works is a brand new brewery in the historic Strand building on Hale Street. The Strand was a billiard hall from the 1930s to the early 2000s and has been vacant for the last several years.

Owner and brewer Jason Martin spent the last two years renovating the space, putting the building back into productive (and delicious!) reuse. At the reception, we’ll learn how this historic building was transformed into a modern venue.

Register today to save your spot!

03/25/2026

There's only 41 days until the second annual Mountain State Land Use Summit! Check out this session highlight: Heirs Property in West Virginia: Challenges for Planning and Land Reuse with Jesse Richardson and John David Johnson.

Heirs property – land held by multiple family members who usually acquire the property through inheritance – remains a significant but often overlooked barrier to land use planning, redevelopment, and community revitalization in West Virginia.

Faculty at West Virginia State University and West Virginia University are involved in projects to address heirs property in the state and will discuss those projects and how participants can get involved in the process. This session intends to be a discussion where participants can alert the speakers about their concerns and experiences.

Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how heirs property affects land reuse and community development, as well as practical insights for navigating these challenges in planning and redevelopment projects. Strategies to move West Virginia forward on collecting data and adopting policies to address heirs property will also be discussed.

Click the link below to register today!

We are thrilled to be hosting the second annual Mountain State Land Use Summit in Charleston! Join us May 5-7, 2026 as we highlight on-the-ground land banking and city planning solutions helping West Virginia communities grow, and explore our Capitol City!

03/21/2026

Are you at the Appalachian Studies Association Conference this weekend? Stop by and say hi in the Exhibit Hall until 5:30 this evening!

03/09/2026

There's less than 60 days until the second annual Mountain State Land Use Summit! Today we're highlighting a session in the Land Banking track: Beyond Buyouts: Planning Productive.

Across rural America, communities are grappling with the aftermath of repetitive flooding and federally funded property buyouts that permanently restrict development. Under FEMA’s Model Deed Restrictions, acquired properties must remain as open space in perpetuity, limiting future uses to parks, wetlands, or agriculture. While these rules reduce flood risk, they often remove parcels from the tax base and leave rural governments managing fragmented, underutilized land with few clear pathways forward.
This presentation examines how FEMA-restricted and floodplain properties can be repositioned as community assets through informed planning, regulatory literacy, and local initiative. The session is anchored by two West Virginia case examples.
In Nitro, City Planner Kim Reed led the successful transformation of a FEMA buyout parcel into a community-serving apiary, demonstrating how low-impact agricultural uses can comply with deed restrictions while generating economic and ecological value.
In Marlinton, Ray Moeller of West Virginia Brownfields will share his experience navigating historic registry status to secure variances that enabled the preservation and restoration of a landmark structure located within the floodplain, highlighting the nuanced interplay between historic preservation, local ordinances, and hazard mitigation requirements.
Drawing on comparative case study research by the Brownfields Assistance Center at WVU, including policy analysis, GIS mapping, and practitioner interviews, the presentation reframes post-flood landscapes not as permanent losses, but as places where planning judgment, flexibility, and stewardship can unlock resilience and opportunity.

Learn more about the Summit and register by following the link below.

https://www.wvlsc.org/summit-about