Posts by Maria Elkin
Why Home Repair Programs Are Essential for Preventing Property Vacancy and Abandonment
Home repair is a core strategy to stop properties from becoming vacant in the first place.
Read MoreHow Better Data Helps Communities Address Vacancy
What data sources you should be looking at if you’re interested in understanding, tracking, and solving property vacancy in your community.
Read MoreHow Philanthropy Powers Land Bank Success
Examples of how philanthropic partnerships have helped land banks launch new programs to revitalize communities.
Read MoreHow Opportunity Zones 2.0 Can Leverage Existing Vacant Property Inventories
Ideas for Opportunity Zones 2.0 to leverage existing vacant properties in distressed communities, with land bank support.
Read MoreTo Prevent Illegal Dumping, You Have to Know the Scale of the Problem
How to conduct a neighborhood survey to assess the scale of illegal dumping and prioritize city resources for cleanup and prevention.
Read MoreMeet the 2024-25 Cohort of Community Revitalization Fellows
Grassroots community leaders from Lafayette, Memphis, and Rochester share their stories and motivations for community revitalization.
Read MoreWhy Land Banks Matter
For neighborhoods burdened by systemic disinvestment; vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties often become symbols of neglect. They pose social, economic, health, and environmental hazards to communities and residents. Addressing these properties requires intervention at multiple points and systems—and one powerful tool many communities use to address vacancy and promote equitable development is the land bank.…
Read MoreThat’s a Wrap on RVP 2024!
This month, we were excited to put another Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference (RVP) on the books. Our 2024 conference brought 900 people from across the country to St. Louis for three days of learning, exploration, and even dance! Day 1: The Service Project and Welcome Ceremony Every RVP, Community Progress works with a local nonprofit…
Read MoreRVP 2024: Philanthropy and Community Revitalization
With the 2024 Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference (RVP) kicking off in St. Louis this week, Community Progress took a moment to ask three of our top sponsors—JPMorganChase, Missouri Foundation for Health, and Wells Fargo Foundation—what they were looking forward to at the event, and how philanthropy plays a critical role in supporting community revitalization. Responses…
Read MoreWhat does equitable code enforcement look like? How Louisville is taking steps to use its code enforcement process to advance racial equity
With technical assistance support from Community Progress, Louisville is reforming their housing and building code enforcement with equity in mind.
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