Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference Returns to Pittsburgh in 2026

Flagship community revitalization conference will be held in Pittsburgh nearly 20 years after first conference in 2007.

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – October 1, 2025 – The Center for Community Progress (Community Progress) announced today that the 2026 Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference (RVP) will be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on September 22–25, 2026, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.

RVP is the only national conference fully dedicated to addressing vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties and advancing equitable community revitalization. Since 2007, the event has served as an essential gathering for leaders from local governments, nonprofits, land banks, philanthropy, community organizations, developers, and grassroots advocates working together to reclaim vacant spaces.

The 2026 conference will bring 1,000 leaders from across the country to Pittsburgh to participate in hands-on workshops, mobile tours, and dozens of learning sessions covering every aspect of the property revitalization cycle.

Each host city of RVP acts as a living classroom, offering lessons for communities nationwide. Pittsburgh hosted the inaugural conference in 2007, making its return in 2026 both a full-circle moment and an opportunity to reflect on nearly two decades of progress in the field. Its legacy of reinvention—from an industrial hub to a center of innovation and community development—offers inspiration and practical lessons for attendees.

“Pittsburgh’s story mirrors that of so many communities across the country,” said Kathleen Guillaume-Delemar, President and CEO of Community Progress. “The city has shown how people can come together to not just weather economic transitions, but emerge from them stronger, with ideas for neighborhood revitalization we all can learn from.”

“Allegheny County is proud to welcome the Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference back to Pittsburgh,” said Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato. “Our region knows firsthand the challenges of reinvention, and we also know the power of community-driven solutions. Hosting this conference is an opportunity to showcase the progress we’ve made, learn from partners across the country, and continue building a future where every neighborhood is vibrant, equitable, and full of possibility.”

“We are honored to welcome the Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference back to Pittsburgh—a city that knows the power of transformation,” said Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey. “Over the years, we’ve worked with our communities to turn challenges into opportunities, and this conference shines a national spotlight on that progress. As we look ahead to 2026, we’re excited to share our journey, learn from others, and continue building a Pittsburgh where every neighborhood is thriving, resilient, and full of promise.”

Known as the “City of Bridges,” Pittsburgh exemplifies the power of connection—between residents, institutions, and sectors—to create lasting solutions. The 2026 RVP will build on that spirit, fostering collaboration and sparking bold ideas to strengthen communities nationwide.

The first 100 tickets for the conference are available to purchase in 2025 at a deeply discounted pre-Early Bird rate. This offer expires on December 10, or when all 100 tickets are sold. Regular Early Bird registration will open in April 2026. Visit https://communityprogress.org/rvp26/ to learn more.

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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.