Posts by Maria Elkin
The Problem with Calling Neighborhoods with Vacant Properties “Blighted”
Picture a neighborhood with numerous run-down homes, vacant lots, and boarded-up buildings, grounds or structure overgrown with vegetation. What word comes to mind to describe those conditions? For many, that word is “blight.” Blight is a shorthand term many people use to refer to properties they perceive as problematic in some way: appearing unsafe, visually…
Read MoreHow Vacant and Abandoned Buildings Affect the Community
Vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated (VAD) properties—referred to by some as “blighted properties”—pose significant costs to public health, property values, local taxpayers, and more.
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.
Read MoreA Message from President and CEO Akilah Watkins
Dear friends and supporters of the Center for Community Progress, With great sadness and great gratitude, I announce that I will be departing from the Center for Community Progress at the end of 2022, to assume the role of President and CEO of Independent Sector. Over these last five years leading Community Progress, I have…
Read MorePublication: Championing Leaders of Color
Download the Full Report Community development unites people to take collective action to build stronger, more resilient places to live. Its roots are embedded in the backyards, living rooms, and church halls of people who, out of sheer will and perseverance, found ways to advocate for change in their neighborhoods. Over time, though, the field…
Read MoreThe Unique Challenge of Vacancy and Abandonment in Puerto Rico
This is an excerpt of Chapter 4 of Tackling Vacancy and Abandonment: Strategies and Impacts After the Great Recession, jointly produced by the Center for Community Progress, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. It has been lightly edited and condensed for the web. In this chapter, Ivís Garcia…
Read MoreDetroit’s Tax Foreclosure Problems Need Long-Term Solutions
This is an excerpt of Chapter 3 of Tackling Vacancy and Abandonment: Strategies and Impacts After the Great Recession, jointly produced by the Center for Community Progress, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. It has been lightly edited and condensed for the web. In this chapter, Margaret Dewar…
Read MoreHow Community Progress Celebrated #LoveThatLot in 2022
In 2022, we celebrated Valentine’s Day with another #LoveThatLot, a social media campaign to show our love for the people and organizations turning vacant lots into vibrant places. Neighborhood Gardens Trust shared how they preserved 50 community gardens throughout Philadelphia. The City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services shared how their brownfields programs transform abandoned…
Read MoreThe Battle of the Belts: Vacancy in the Sun Belt and Rust Belt Since the Great Recession
This is an excerpt of Chapter 2 of Tackling Vacancy and Abandonment: Strategies and Impacts After the Great Recession, jointly produced by the Center for Community Progress, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. It has been lightly edited and condensed for the web. In this chapter, Austin Harrison…
Read MoreSubmitting a Session Proposal for the Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference? Read This First.
If you’re here, it probably means you’re thinking about submitting a session proposal to Community Progress’ flagship conference, Reclaiming Vacant Properties. Luckily, we’ve got you covered with some tips for writing a good session proposal that’ll grab our interest, and your attendees’ interest too! Begin at the end: What will people walk away with? First…
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