Maria Elkin, Author at Center for Community Progress

Ira Goldstein on Lessons in Redevelopment Without Displacement from Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood Neighborhood: An RVP Speaker Spotlight

By Maria Elkin | August 19, 2026

A view of the Hazelwood neighborhood in Pittsburgh, taken in 2013, seen across railway tracks.

We asked one of our speakers to preview his session at the 2026 Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference, and what you’ll learn by attending.

Aaron Sukenik and Cate Irvin on Sustaining Storefront Activation in Downtown Pittsburgh: An RVP Speaker Spotlight

By Maria Elkin | August 4, 2026

We asked our speakers to preview their walking tour at the 2026 Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference, and what you’ll learn by attending.

Get Ready for the ROAD to Housing Act: Steps to Take Before Accessing New Housing Funds

By Maria Elkin | July 13, 2026

A color photograph of two adjacent single-story residential properties on a residential street, both in various states of disrepair and renovation. The left house has dark weathered siding, boarded-up windows, and exposed plywood sheathing, with a large construction dumpster parked in front behind a temporary silt fence. The right house has had its exterior siding partially stripped, exposing bare wood framing and structural supports propped with diagonal braces. Trees line the street and a utility pole stands in the foreground. A third house, appearing occupied and in better condition, is partially visible at the far right.

What the ROAD to Housing Act contains relating to community revitalization and vacant property reuse.

Proposed Housing Legislation in the 119th Congress: What Land Banks Need to Know

By Maria Elkin | June 3, 2026

An image of the US Capitol building on a sunny day, with the American flag flying in the breeze.

Guidance for land banks on emerging housing legislation moving through Congress.

What are Proactive Rental Inspection Programs?: Keeping Homes Occupied and Communities Healthy

By Maria Elkin | April 21, 2026

A white house with a code enforcement citation on the door

Proactive rental inspection programs shift code enforcement from reactive to strategic, identifying health hazards like lead paint, mold, and broken heating before they harm tenants or push properties toward vacancy. Learn how local governments design effective programs, with examples from cities across the country.

Why Home Repair Programs Are Essential for Preventing Property Vacancy and Abandonment

By Maria Elkin | January 22, 2026

A home in cleveland, ohio having its front porch replaced

Home repair is a core strategy to stop properties from becoming vacant in the first place.

How Better Data Helps Communities Address Vacancy

By Maria Elkin | January 16, 2026

A screenshot of an overhead map of vacant, structure-free land in Detroit, Michigan.

What data sources you should be looking at if you’re interested in understanding, tracking, and solving property vacancy in your community.

How Philanthropy Powers Land Bank Success

By Maria Elkin | December 11, 2025

A colorfully painted pathway winds through a lush urban green space, with abstract shapes decorating the concrete, a blue Adirondack chair, and a sculptural white metal tree amid native plantings.

Examples of how philanthropic partnerships have helped land banks launch new programs to revitalize communities.

How Opportunity Zones 2.0 Can Leverage Existing Vacant Property Inventories

By Maria Elkin | April 23, 2025

A screenshot of Community Progress' "Land Banks and Opportunity Zones" map.

Ideas for Opportunity Zones 2.0 to leverage existing vacant properties in distressed communities, with land bank support.

To Prevent Illegal Dumping, You Have to Know the Scale of the Problem

By Maria Elkin | March 3, 2025

A pile of broken furniture and household trash illegally dumpt on the curb of a residential road in Detroit.

How to conduct a neighborhood survey to assess the scale of illegal dumping and prioritize city resources for cleanup and prevention.