Blog

General Announcements

From the Board Chair: Announcing a leadership transition at Community Progress

Dear Friends of Community Progress, It is with mixed emotions that I write, on behalf of the Board of Directors, to share with you the decision of our President and CEO, Tamar Shapiro, to leave the Center for Community Progress in the summer of 2017. Due to a recent fellowship…

Remembering Ray Pianka

Raymond L. Pianka, judge of Cleveland’s Housing Court, died suddenly at the age of 65 early Sunday morning, January 22. As the city’s housing court judge for over two decades, Ray became something close to a legend among people engaged in fighting neighborhood decline and abandoned properties, not just in…

Lots to Love in Beall’s Hill

We’re pleased to share this guest post from Emily Hopkins with the Historic Macon Foundation about their participation in this year’s national #LoveThatLot campaign. A once-vacant lot in the Beall’s Hill neighborhood of Macon, Georgia, experienced a lot of love on Sunday, February 21. Parents and their children, couples with…

Three communities selected for the Technical Assistance Scholarship Program

Community Progress launched the competitive Technical Assistance Scholarship Program (TASP) in 2014, to help us find and support today’s pioneers in the work to reclaim and revitalize problem properties. TASP seeks out “changemakers” who are ready to effect positive change on the ground and shape the national field of practice….

Inequality in America’s housing: 5 findings from the State of the Nation’s Housing Report

The Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University recently released its annual State of the Nation’s Housing report. The report takes a sweeping look at housing trends in America, finding an increasingly competitive rental market and falling homeownership numbers. The report also provides compelling data depicting the sober reality of social and racial…

Justin Godard comes on board with the National Leadership and Education team

We are pleased to welcome Justin Godard as a program associate on the National Leadership and Education team at Community Progress. Here’s what he has to say about coming on board: How did you first become interested in the community development and urban planning fields? I feel as though the story behind how…

Flint explores community schools as a tool to support neighborhood stability

Can a renewed focus on community schools support neighborhood stabilization — and even vacant property revitalization? That’s one of the questions at hand as Flint looks for a new model for public education. Community schools have deep roots in the City of Flint, and the city has, based on community…

Election day: Local leadership is critical to revitalization

Voters across the nation stream to the polls today in our annual democratic exercise, weighing the promises from candidates in how best to address some of our pressing challenges. At the local level, I doubt there is much variance among the top concerns shared by residents and families: taxes, jobs,…

NeighborWorks honors Alan Mallach as a “visionary leader in community development”

For anyone who knows Alan Mallach, senior fellow at Community Progress, it shouldn’t be a shock that he’s being honored as a “visionary leader in community development.” He has dedicated his life’s work to helping communities across the country develop creative, equitable community revitalization strategies. NeighborWorks America chose Alan as one of their 2014…

What’s the matter with Atlantic City?

Originally posted on the National Housing Institute’s Rooflines blog Over the past few months, there’s been a drumbeat of bad news coming out of Atlantic City. Since the beginning of 2014, four casinos have closed, including Revel, which the state of New Jersey granted $261 million in tax breaks to…

Meet Kat Guillaume-Delemar, President & CEO of Community Progress

For Kat Guillaume-Delemar, community revitalization is a deeply personal journey.

A 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…

Community Progress Weighs in on $350 Billion ARPA State and Local Recovery Fund

Center for Community Progress recently submitted a public comment letter in response to the Treasury Department’s Interim Final Rule (“IFR”) implementing the American Rescue Plan Act’s (“ARPA”) $350 billion State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (“SLFRF”). The public comment period is open through Friday, July 16, 2021, and public comments…

Michigan Initiatives Quarterly Update: April – June 2021

This quarterly update from Community Progress’ Michigan Initiatives team highlights important revitalization news and resources from across the state. For specific inquiries or to share how your community is addressing vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties in Michigan, email Payton Heins, Director of Michigan Initiatives at [email protected].

New Paper by Alan Mallach – Making the Comeback: Reversing the Downward Trajectory of Black Middle Neighborhoods in Legacy Cities

In city after city, the Black middle neighborhoods face the most significant challenges and have seen the sharpest declines across the country when compared to other middle neighborhoods. Black middle neighborhoods lead in the struggle to receive public help, programs, amenities, and more. In a new paper, Making the Comeback:…

Keith Boykin and Alan Mallach to Lead Discussion on new Black Middle Neighborhood Data, Challenges, and Opportunities

Black urban middle neighborhoods are facing an existential crisis. In city after city, the middle neighborhoods that face the greatest challenges and have seen the sharpest declines are those largely occupied by African-American families. Compared to other middle neighborhoods, these neighborhoods are not only declining more sharply, but are seeing the…

Land Bank and Land Trust Leaders Express Support for Proposed $5 Billion to Revitalize Communities

Restoring Communities Left Behind Act Receives Support from Community Progress and Grounded Solutions Leaders WASHINGTON, D.C. – February 4, 2021 — Today, the Center for Community Progress (Community Progress) and Grounded Solutions Network (Grounded Solutions) expressed their support of new legislation that would invest $5 billion in flexible federal funding…

New Webinars Tackle COVID-19, Code Enforcement, Land Banking, and More

The combination of a new year, new leaders, and new challenges mean residents and local governments are positioned for rapid change in 2021. Register for this Spring’s Cornerstone Webinars to ensure you’re up to date on the latest trends and answers to this year’s historic challenges and opportunities.

Community Progress Expands Technical Assistance Services

New Senior Advisor, Vice President, and Program Leaders to Lead Local, State, and Neighborhood Assistance WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 8, 2020 — Today, the Center for Community Progress (Community Progress) announced new infrastructure changes and staff appointments to serve more communities through its technical assistance and place-based programs. “Communities need us…

Download America’s Vacant Lot Landscape: Insights from the National Survey on Greening

How are vacant lots evolving in the United States? What strategies do professionals consider most effective at returning purpose to these properties? What have practitioners learned in the last several years that other municipalities and organizations can benefit from? And what do organizations still need to do this work effectively?