Surplus property — the bits, pieces and swaths of land the city has acquired over time but has no use for — is now listed for sale on the city’s website.

The properties can be found at lincoln.ne.gov, keyword “surplus,” which shows aerial photos, addresses, parcel size and zoning.

More than 50 properties, as small as a tenth of an acre to as large as nearly five acres, are listed for sale, trade or lease. 

“My administration has had a goal of making it easier for individuals to locate surplus city land and to facilitate the process of its purchase,” said Mayor Chris Beutler. “We want this land in private hands for two reasons — to improve the chance the land will be brought to its highest and best use, and to ensure the land will be on the tax rolls.”

Urban Development Director David Landis said the old process of posting a sign on the land wasn’t readily accessible to everyone.

“We want to let everyone know what land is available,” Landis said. 

The city acquired the properties by purchase, trade, gift or by tax sales, but not all the land has a current or projected civic purpose.  

For instance, there are a few homes along 27th Street that were dilapidated and the city couldn’t find the owner, so it blighted the property and bought the land. 

In most cases, the city has torn down problematic homes. 

“Green space is better for a neighborhood than a bad home,” Landis said. “But now if we see it transition into developer’s hands and get a home on the property, it’s even better.”

The website should make the purchase process easier, Landis said. 

The purchasing process also is being redrafted to ensure that the public has fair notice of the surplus status of property before the city agrees to its sale.

The terms and conditions of the sale are public information, and though the prices aren’t listed, terms will be negotiated at fair value, Landis said.

Interested buyers can contact the Housing Rehabilitation and Real Estate Division at 402-441-8621.