Posts by Community Progress
Problem to Purpose: Indiana Teens Recycle to Turnaround Vacant Lots
Tired-A-Lot Transforms Vacant Properties While Creating Youth Volunteerism Teaching teens to give back can yield more than positive values and great character; it can help change a neighborhood. Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and Northeastern University show there are positive connections between youth volunteerism, health, and academics. One hybrid group of local officials from the Zoning Land Use…
Read MoreProblem to Purpose: Teens Create Deterioration Answers in Colorado Springs
A Camera and $500 Turn into a Deteriorated Property Solution “Eventually the youth started asking, ‘Why can’t we just make the changes?’” explained Mia Ramirez of The Colorado Trust. That one powerful question spurred a student group from the Leaders Engaged and Amazingly Determined (LEAD) in Colorado Springs, Colorado to improve a deteriorated property in…
Read MorePower of Placemaking – What Vacancy Victories from Massachusetts, New York, and California Taught Us
From increased fire outbreaks to elevated safety concerns, there’s no secret property vacancy can weigh down a community. But, how can communities lift themselves up? What are the keys to turning a vacant lot or building into an asset? The answers may vary for each community (and we’re here if you need help with your…
Read MoreProblem to Purpose: From Gas Station to Food Station, Solving Insecurity through Creative Placemaking
According to a 2017 study, a whopping 48 percent of Detroit households are “food insecure.” This means that nearly 30,000 Detroit residents experience hurdles when trying to access to quality and affordable food options. How are residents tackling the challenge? One group, Hope Community (Cool Cities) Park, is tackling food insecurity through bringing options closer to…
Read More#LoveThatLot – Help Tell America’s Big Revitalization Story, Score National Exposure
#ValentinesDay six years ago was just the start. For six years, you’ve shared #LoveThatLot stories of your revitalization wins that have turned vacant lots and homes into beautiful additions to your community. We can’t say thank you enough and how excited we are about your work… so excited that one day or month wasn’t enough.…
Read MoreProblem to Purpose: A Closing Mill Leads Turns into and Art Opportunity
Dubbed the “Birthplace of Macon,” the once-bustling Mill Hill neighborhood took a hit when its mill closed in 2015. With the mill doors suddenly shuttering, Mill Hill’s vacancy rate increased to more than 50 percent and mirrored Macon-Bibb County’s 50 percent residential vacancy rate. How did Mill Hill Make Use of Vacant Space? Instead of…
Read MoreProblem to Purpose: 10-Week Safety Turnaround through Public Art
Massachusetts Placemaking Lighting Display’s Downtown Impact The eerie feeling of a dark alley and dim-lit underpass isn’t just a feeling. A recent New York City study showed that increased lighting can reduce crime by as much as 39 percent. Also, when an area is seen as the “dark” side of town, that physical impression can impact neighborhood…
Read MoreNew Online Webinars: Middle Neighborhoods with Alan Mallach, Land Banking, Code Enforcement and More
2020 Cornerstone Webinars Feature Updated Data and Trend Training from Community Progress This Spring, Community Progress will make staying up to date on the latest community development trends easy. Our 2020 Cornerstone Webinar series will focus on sharing new updates on important topics related to vacancy, abandonment, and middle neighborhoods,…
Read MoreProblem to Purpose: A Parking Lot Becomes a Beach?
More than 30 percent of parents travel with their kids to a beach for enjoyment, but what do you do when the sand’s out of reach? One Sullivan, New York, community answered the question while converting a vacant space into a community asset. Sprinkler Beach is a pop-up project imagined out of a joint effort…
Read MoreProblem to Purpose: Three Oakland Projects Fight Community Challenges through Art
Pop-up Library, Traffic-Injury Prevention, and Problem Properties Conversion with Creative Placemaking There’s an old adage, “money’s the answer, now what’s the question.” Sixty-five percent of neighborhood changemakers not only agree, but say funding is the largest hurdle to leveraging Creative Placemaking to fight vacancy and community challenges in their neighborhood. Three artist-resident collaborations from Design…
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