Legal Services

The vendor required to provide legal services in three practice areas:
•    general real estate services
•    real estate development
•    general corporate legal services
- General real estate services
1. Sales and closings
•    Advance, schedule and conduct real estate sales and closings; 
•    Update and prepare and provide sales contracts and to approved buyers monthly; 
•    Monitor sales contracts, title reports, follow up with buyers to ensure timely responses; 
•    Prepare contract modifications and extensions as needed; 
•    Prepare and review closing documents, including enforcement documents;
•    Occasionally help negotiate and draft sales contracts and related documents; 
•    Provide weekly sales tracking reports to land bank staff; 
•    Be accessible to buyers and field inquires on status of closing; and, 
•    Provide outstanding customer service and relations and accessibility 
•    Coordinate with title companies, municipal departments, and the county to facilitate recordings, clear title, and ensure compliance with local requirements 
•    Assist in drafting and recording restrictive covenants, use restrictions, and related post-closing obligations 
•    Provide legal support for quiet title or title clearing actions, as needed.
2. Enforcement and compliance
•    Advise and support real estate enforcement and compliance actions including, but not limited to mortgages, notes and workouts; 
•    Occasionally draft enforcement and compliance related documents 
•    Support compliance and enforcement actions, including, but not limited to: deed reversers, deeds-in-lieu of foreclosure, redevelopment mortgage and agreement modifications, foreclosure actions and proceedings 
•    Represent the land bank in city or county court proceedings related to enforcement matters.
3. Other real estate related services
•    Representation in the areas of residential (primarily) and commercial (occasionally) real estate transactions, including sales, purchases, deeds, leases, permits, licenses, land contracts, support the negotiation and preparation of related documents 
•    Representation in matters of real estate litigation 
•    Representation in matters of environmental law and the act land uses and local building code issues. 
•    Representation in matters of concerning real property development and management 
•    Advise on real estate transaction related matters 
•    Provide other real estate legal services as necessary.
- Real estate development
•    Representation in negotiations with developers, development partners and other development related entities 
•    Representation in matters with the us department of housing and urban development, state homes and community renewal, and other governmental entities 
•    Representation involving the negotiation, preparation and review of all contracts, agreements, opinions, documents and other writings necessary to implement or assist in the implementation of all phases of any real estate development and redevelopment related work (including ground leases, regulatory and operating agreements, declarations of trust and restrictive covenants, management agreements, and development and co-development agreements) 
•    Draft and review organizational documents as required for the reorganization and formation of any subsidiary or entity to act as an ownership, development or lending entity, relative to development projects (services may also include, but not be limited to, legal assistance to create the entity). 
•    Identify regulatory, statutory and other legal concerns or issues that must be addressed with regard to redevelopment projects and all real estate related activities. 
•    Assist with the preparation and implementation of any alternative funding proposals or agreements, including but not limited to, one or more low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) proposals, tax exempt or other bonding transactions. 
•    Negotiate agreements, draft contracts and review agreements related to any nonresidential developments 
•    Develop agreements, as needed, to facilitate various real estate development or related programs (such as homeownership programs, vacant lot programs, etc.) 
•    Representation for real estate acquisition and real estate disposition matters involving public and private real estate opportunities and other property related issues, i.e., title clearance, environmental reviews, etc. 
•    Represent the land bank with residential real estate mortgage loan closings, construction financing and in legal matters involving HUD, state housing finance agencies, county, city and other alternative funding agencies' regulations, rules, and procedures including, but not limited to, low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) and all relevant HUD funded programs. 
•    Represent the land bank before federal, state and local administrative agencies and departments regarding funding applications, zoning, obtaining licenses and permits, and other matters related to development and redevelopment. 
•    Provide other real estate development legal services as necessary. 
•    Provide due diligence review of development sites, including title encumbrances, easements, surveys, and environmental reports. 
•    Review and advise on construction contracts, payment applications, and related lien or performance issues. 
•    Advise on compliance with federal and state funding requirements.
- General corporate legal services
•    Advise the land bank’s executive director and board of directors on legal issues and matters related to not-for-profit corporate and tax‐exempt organization status. 
•    Advise on legal issues and matters related to authority law, and status as a local public authority, including compliance and statutory authority with respect to the state land bank act. 
•    Advise on individual employment matters. 
•    Advise on human resources policies and procedures. 
•    Advise and review personnel, fiscal, procurement and other policies, as well as corporate bylaws. 
•    Attend board of directors’ meetings and committee meetings, as necessary. 
•    Advise and assist with the preparation of board of director meeting materials, resolutions, board compliance and other governance and compliance matters. 
•    Advise on government grant and contract issues.
•    Advise on responses to subpoenas, court orders, and requests for information from third parties, including but not limited to freedom of information law (foil) request 
•    Defend lawsuits, administrative claims, or other legal claims. 
•    Conduct litigation as necessary. 
•    Provide other legal services as necessary. 
•    Advise on open meetings law (OML) and public officers law compliance, including training for board members. 
•    Review and update annual governance documents such as conflict of interest, whistleblower, and procurement policies. 
•    Assist in reviewing or drafting memoranda of understanding (MOUS) and intergovernmental agreements with municipal or community partners. 
•    Provide periodic legal training or briefings for land bank staff and board on governance, compliance, and ethical obligations.

- Contract Period/Term: 5 years
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: December 1, 2025