Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference Heads to St. Louis on October 9-11, 2024

WASHINGTON, DC – The Center for Community Progress (Community Progress) is excited to announce that the next Reclaiming Vacant Properties (RVP) Conference will take place from October 9-11, 2024 at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch. Held every 24 months, RVP is the only national conference dedicated to helping communities address the critical issues of vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties. 

Since 2007, RVP has been a hub for urban planners, community leaders, policymakers, and innovators. Previous host cities have included Chicago, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Cleveland, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Detroit, Baltimore, Milwaukee, and Atlanta.  

RVP brings together a diverse, dedicated network of over 1,000 leaders from grassroots organizations, businesses, nonprofits, and local governments. Representing urban, suburban, and rural communities across the country, these leaders have the power to imagine a radical future where vacant properties are transformed into assets for neighbors and neighborhoods. As the host of Reclaiming Vacant Properties 2024, St. Louis epitomizes this spirit of resilient community revitalization. The collaboration among City departments and agencies, local nonprofits, and residents makes St. Louis an inspiring backdrop for this conference. Innovative initiatives like the Vacancy Strategy Initiative, the St. Louis Vacancy Collaborative, The Housing Partnership, and Seed St. Louis, have helped bring life back to abandoned spaces, fostered pride among residents, and advanced equitable policies. 

“Development should happen with the community, not to it. With St. Louis’ rich history of community-led revitalization and unprecedented resources invested to stabilize our communities, we are eager to both share our experiences and learn from other cities,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. “We are honored to welcome the Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference to our vibrant city, along with the many local leaders who will connect and learn to build healthier neighborhoods while enjoying the world-class amenities St. Louis has to offer.” 

Kathleen J. Guillaume-Delemar, President & CEO of the Center for Community Progress, emphasized the conference’s significance, saying, “RVP is more than a conference; it’s a catalyst for change. By creating a space for the people who are in the thick of community revitalization day after day, we can help them shape a future where every community sees its value.” 

Learn more about the conference at communityprogress.org/rvp24 and contact us to learn about sponsorship opportunities. Registration will open in early 2024. 

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About Community Progress: The Center for Community Progress helps people to transform vacant spaces into vibrant places. Since 2010, their team of experts has provided urban, suburban, and rural communities battling systemic vacancy with the policies, tools, and resources needed to address the full cycle of property revitalization. As the only national nonprofit dedicated to tackling vacant properties, Community Progress drives change by uncovering and disrupting the unjust, racist systems that perpetuate entrenched vacancy and property deterioration. Community Progress has delivered customized, expert guidance to leaders in over 300 communities and provided hundreds of hours of free educational resources as well as leadership programming to help policymakers, practitioners, and community members across the country return properties to productive use. To learn more and get help for your community, visit communityprogress.org.