After months of rebuilding its property-sale process, the Scioto County Land Bank is accepting bids again.
The Scioto County Land Reutilization Corporation has listed 16 properties or groups of adjoining parcels for sale. Minimum bids range from $1,210 to $10,570.
The move follows concerns raised earlier this year about how property bids had previously been collected, recorded, and tracked.
“We have not sold any property since we’ve been on the board,” Commissioner Scottie Powell told SCDN at the time. “None of us felt comfortable with how the process was being handled.”
Powell said the new board wanted clearer public notices, better tracking of bids, and standard procedures before it resumed selling property.
New Sealed-Bid Process
The Land Bank is now using a formal closed-bid process.
Anyone interested in bidding must complete an official bid packet and submit it in a sealed envelope. Unsealed bids and bids submitted without a completed packet will not be accepted.
Bid packets are available at the Land Bank office in Room 405 of the Scioto County Courthouse at 602 Seventh Street in Portsmouth. They may also be requested by emailing landbank@sciotocounty.net.
Completed bids must be delivered to the Scioto County Commissioners’ Office in Room 310 of the courthouse by 4 p.m. on October 15 to be considered at the Land Bank’s October board meeting.
Anyone who submitted a bid for one of the properties before September 17 must submit a new bid using the required packet.
The Land Bank board reserves the right to reject any or all bids.
Properties Available
The properties and minimum bids are:
- 2684 U.S. 23 — Parcel 05-2053.000 — Minimum bid: $4,680
- 87 Old Union Road — Parcel 060678.001 — Minimum bid: $10,570
- 3344 Woods Ridge and 0 Woods Ridge — Parcels 07-1288.001 and 07-1288.002 — Minimum bid: $6,425
- 75 Pershing Avenue and 0 Haig Avenue — Parcels 16-0549.000 and 16-0836.000 — Minimum bid: $4,790
- 0 Pershing Avenue — Parcel 16-0752.000 — Minimum bid: $2,030
- 1368 16th Street — Parcel 27-1916.000 — Minimum bid: $4,630
- 802 John Street and 806 John Street — Parcels 27-3182.000 and 27-3183.000 — Minimum bid: $5,980
- 0 Johnson Street — Parcel 34-2033.000 — Minimum bid: $2,430
- 0 Mabert Road — Parcel 34-2073.001 — Minimum bid: $1,210
- Three parcels listed as 0 May Street — Parcels 34-0753, 34-0754, and 34-0755 — Minimum bid: $1,815
- 1928 Valley Street — Parcel 34-2495.000 — Minimum bid: $2,350
- 1814 May Street, 0 Dale Street, and 0 High Street — Parcels 34-0756, 34-0757, and 34-0758 — Minimum bid: $5,155
- 5413 State Route 73 in Otway — Parcel 03-1061.000 — Minimum bid: $9,225
- 2135 North Bend Avenue — Parcel 27-2146.000 — Minimum bid: $3,675
- 1402 17th Street — Parcel 31-0996.000 — Minimum bid: $4,765
- 308 Owensville Road — Parcel 21-0766.00 — Minimum bid: $5,288.50
Board Put Sales on Hold
The Land Bank is overseen by a board that includes Treasurer Joey Sandlin, Commissioner Scottie Powell, Commissioner Merit Smith, Dennis DeCamp, and Portsmouth City Manager Sam Sutherland.
Earlier this year, Smith said the board understood that residents were frustrated by the lack of property sales. However, members did not want to resume selling until they were confident the process was fair and transparent.
“We’ve had criticism—people asking why land isn’t getting sold,” Smith said. “That’s the reason. We’re trying to make sure everything is done right and transparent.”
The review came in the wake of the corruption case involving former Commissioner Bryan Davis, who previously served on the Land Bank board. His indictment disrupted operations and raised questions about who had the authority to sign checks and handle financial matters.
Board members subsequently examined procedures used by other Ohio land banks and worked with Jim Rokakis, who is widely considered one of the pioneers of Ohio’s land-bank system.
Now, after months without a sale, the first properties are officially back on the market—and every bid will have to follow the Land Bank’s new rules.