Posts by Maria Elkin
Get Ready for the ROAD to Housing Act: Steps to Take Before Accessing New Housing Funds
What the ROAD to Housing Act contains relating to community revitalization and vacant property reuse.
Read MoreProposed Housing Legislation in the 119th Congress: What Land Banks Need to Know
Guidance for land banks on emerging housing legislation moving through Congress.
Read MoreWhat are Proactive Rental Inspection Programs?: Keeping Homes Occupied and Communities Healthy
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.
Read MoreWhy 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 SuccessÂ
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.…
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