68 community groups will maintain more than 3,400 vacant properties across Flint.
Over the last two decades, Clean & Green groups have completed more than 330,000 vacant property mowings and boarded up hundreds of vacant homes, valued at more than $15 million.
FLINT, Mich. (April 22, 2025) – The Genesee County Land Bank Authority recently announced the 21st year of Clean & Green, a program that engages community groups to combat blight across the city of Flint.
Studies show Clean & Green makes neighborhoods cleaner, greener and safer, reducing violent crimes and lowering rates of youth gun violence.
WHEN: Friday, April 25 from 1- 3 p.m.
WHERE: The Flint Public Library, 1026 E Kearsley St, Flint, MI
This year, from April to September, community-based groups including block clubs, school, churches, local nonprofits and neighborhood associations, will maintain over 3,400 vacant properties around the city of Flint, mowing and conducting cleanups every three weeks. Each group receives a stipend for maintaining at least 25 properties per three-week period. Most of the groups include neighborhood youth who help create
positive change in their own neighborhoods.
“We are incredibly proud of the Clean & Green program. We could not do this work alone,” says Michael Freeman, executive director of the Genesee County Land Bank. “This program is a shining example of the dramatic difference we can all make in our community by working together. We are grateful to all of the participating community groups and local residents who lend their support.”
On April 25 and 26, community groups will receive their materials, T-shirts, custom yard signs and other supplies to assist their cleaning and greening work. Groups often start with an area-wide cleanup to prep for regular mowing. Residents are encouraged to connect with local Clean & Green volunteers to support efforts to fight blight in our community.
According to research by the University of Michigan, Youth Violence Prevention Center, Clean & Green maintenance significantly reduces crime. Studies found Clean & Green areas have 30 percent fewer assaults, 40 percent fewer violent crimes overall, and lower rates of child maltreatment and youth gun violence.
The Genesee County Land Bank has invested more than $7 million in this program over the last 20 years.
“Cleaning up trash, mowing lawns, boarding up vacant homes, and beautifying each block makes much more than a cosmetic difference – it makes our community safer, increases property values, and creates a more inviting atmosphere that encourages continued investment and growth,” said Freeman. “As you look around our city this spring, when you see a vacant lot that’s been mowed, a garden that’s been planted, or
a property that’s neatly boarded up, you likely have your neighborhood Clean & Green group to thank.”
The 2025 Clean & Green program is supported through grant funding from the Ruth Mott Foundation, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and the Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center. For more information on Clean & Green, email cleangreen@thelandbank.org, or call (810) 257-3088 extension 524.
While Clean & Green is open to community-based organizations only, the Genesee County Land Bank has additional programs for individual residents who want to green lots – including the Adopt-A-Lot program, Leas-A-Lot and Side Lot sales.
For more information on the Land Bank’s available lots visit thelandbank.org or visit 452 S. Saginaw Street, 2nd floor, Flint.
# # #
About the Genesee County Land Bank
The Genesee County Land Bank Authority (GCLBA) is the first modern Land Bank of its kind in the United States. Founded in 2004, the Land Bank is a governmental organization with the mission of restoring value to the community by acquiring, developing, and selling vacant and abandoned properties in cooperation with
stakeholders who value responsible land ownership.
The Land Bank’s programs help to eliminate blight, promote affordable homeownership, create economic opportunities, activate vacant land, and engage the community in a variety of ways.
Learn more at thelandbank.org or follow the Land Bank on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram for the latest updates.
