Archive for September 2013
The case for federal investment in electronic county property records
Cross-posted from Next City, this article is part of the 2013 Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference liveblog series. Check out all the in-depth content — even if you weren’t able to join us in Philadelphia from September 9-11, 2013, you’ll feel like you did! One issue that’s come up again and again at the Reclaiming Vacant Properties conference —…
Read MoreHousing Alliance of Pennsylvania shares land banking videos, feat. Kim Graziani and Frank Alexander
The Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania put together a Land Bank Headquarters page on its website, featuring training videos and in-depth interviews with experts from Community Progress and throughout the field, including Jim Rokakis of the Thriving Communities Initiative, Jons Kromer of the Fels Institute of Government, Katelyn Wright of the Syracuse Bureau of Planning and…
Read MoreOp-Ed: ‘Demolition’ is not a bad word — Just keep it strategic
Cross-posted from Next City, this article is part of the 2013 Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference liveblog series. Check out all the in-depth content — even if you weren’t able to join us in Philadelphia from September 9-11, 2013, you’ll feel like you did! Vacant properties and otherwise blighted and deeply undervalued parcels are one of the key challenges…
Read MoreThe Mayors’ Exchange on Unlocking Value in Vacancy: Full Video
Five mayors from cities across the country joined us at the Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference to share how their own communities are putting innovative programs into practice. Thanks to PhillyCAM, the full, one-of-a-kind session is now available online. In “View From City Hall: The Mayors Exchange on Unlocking Value in Vacancy,” Mayor Michael Nutter of…
Read MoreBaltimore’s Three-Part System for Dealing With Vacant Properties
Cross-posted from Next City, this article is part of the 2013 Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference liveblog series. Check out all the in-depth content — even if you weren’t able to join us in Philadelphia from September 9-11, 2013, you’ll feel like you did! Baltimore is no stranger to blight and urban decay. The city has lost roughly one-third…
Read MoreTop headlines from the 2013 Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference
Thank you to everyone who joined us at the Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference last week in Philadelphia! Below, we’ve shared some of the most interesting headlines related to the conference — if you attended, you just might see coverage from sessions you participated in. Be sure to check out our Facebook and Twitter as we continue to bring you…
Read MoreGroup hug: Institutions join together to revitalize west Philadelphia
Cross-posted from Next City, this article is part of the 2013 Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference liveblog series. Check out all the in-depth content — even if you weren’t able to join us in Philadelphia from September 9-11, 2013, you’ll feel like you did! It’s an unlikely beginning for a prominent investor in public space development, but Philadelphia’s University City…
Read MoreTax lien sales are no panacea for local governments
Cross-posted from Next City, this article is part of the 2013 Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference liveblog series. Check out all the in-depth content — even if you weren’t able to join us in Philadelphia from September 9-11, 2013, you’ll feel like you did! Philadelphia Councilmember Bill Green recently floated the idea of selling tax liens to private…
Read MoreIn Philadelphia, online: top tweets from two days at Reclaiming Vacant Properties
Two days down, too many tweets to count. This year’s Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference has been more inspiring and instructive than ever. On Monday, some workshops went on the road to visit creative redevelopment sites, while others stayed on-site to engage in hands-on training. We kicked off Tuesday with a riveting discussion among five urban…
Read MoreAdding “oomph” to enforcement: a statewide coalition reshapes Louisiana’s blight fight
What started out as a lunchtime conversation at a national conference back in 2010 culminated this past spring with state legislative reforms that dramatically strengthen blight prevention policies in Louisiana. Specifically, a power that was previously available only in New Orleans is now open to all municipalities and parishes: the ability to enforce code liens…
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