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Our blog unpacks complex approaches to community revitalization so you feel ready to return vacant properties to productive use. Sign up for our newsletter to get solutions in your inbox.

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Communities Across the US Are Addressing Property Deterioration and Vacancy With ARPA
November 16, 2021
Communities Across the US Are Addressing Property Deterioration and Vacancy With ARPA

States, Tribes, counties, and municipalities around the country have been hard at work determining how to use their allocations from the American Rescue Plan Act’s $350 billion State and Local Fiscal…

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A Pioneering Approach to Bring a Legacy of Quality, Affordable Housing to Communities
November 15, 2021
A Pioneering Approach to Bring a Legacy of Quality, Affordable Housing to Communities

Communities nationwide struggle with inventories of properties that are causing harm—properties that are vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated (VAD). Often these properties are concentrated in areas where an intentional history of racist policies resulted in disinvestment…

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New Research Publication Launched: Tackling Vacancy and Abandonment: Strategies and Impacts after the Great Recession
September 29, 2021
New Research Publication Launched: Tackling Vacancy and Abandonment: Strategies and Impacts after the Great Recession

WASHINGTON, D.C. –   Center for Community Progress announces the launch of Tackling Vacancy and Abandonment: Strategies and Impacts after the Great Recession, a research publication jointly produced with the Federal Reserve…

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Community Progress Weighs in on $350 Billion ARPA State and Local Recovery Fund
July 14, 2021
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”)…

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Michigan Initiatives Quarterly Update: April – June 2021
July 1, 2021
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…

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American Rescue Plan Act Update: Treasury Guidance and Fund Request Portal, and Our Updated ARPA Map Resource, Are Now Live!
May 18, 2021
American Rescue Plan Act Update: Treasury Guidance and Fund Request Portal, and Our Updated ARPA Map Resource, Are Now Live!

Important Update: Since publication of this blog on May 18, 2021, Treasury has released additional guidance with specific details for how non-entitlement unit of government allocations should be processed by States….

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An Unprecedented Opportunity for COVID Relief and Equitable Neighborhood Transformation
April 29, 2021
An Unprecedented Opportunity for COVID Relief and Equitable Neighborhood Transformation

While the US is gaining ground in its fight against COVID-19, many communities are facing growing threats to neighborhood stability from its economic fallout. Unprecedented help is…

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Michigan Quarterly Update: January – March 2021
April 15, 2021
Michigan Quarterly Update: January – March 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…

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New Paper by Alan Mallach – Making the Comeback: Reversing the Downward Trajectory of Black Middle Neighborhoods in Legacy Cities
March 17, 2021
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…

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Local Leaders Need to Know: $360 Billion in State and Local Relief Is Coming to Every American Community
March 12, 2021
Local Leaders Need to Know: $360 Billion in State and Local Relief Is Coming to Every American Community

Almost exactly one year into the COVID-19 pandemic, a massive relief plan has passed both chambers of Congress and been signed into law by President Biden. The…

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How to Explain Vacant Property Work: A Plain Language Guide

Talking about community revitalization is hard. Here’s some ways to explain vacancy when people don’t understand your work.

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How Land Banks are Reusing Vacant Land to Build Climate Resilience

Examples of how land banks are transforming vacant land into climate resilience assets through flood mitigation, greening, and partnerships.

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Why You Should Attend the NLBN Summit—Even if You Don’t Work at a Land Bank

The NLBN Summit is your chance to better understand how land banks work and how they can support your goals around developing housing, reusing vacant land, and helping neighborhoods bounce back from economic decline.

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The Basics of Brownfield Redevelopment: Finding and Assessing Brownfields

Brownfield redevelopment reclaims the potential of underutilized properties, improves a neighborhood’s health and wellbeing, and can spark community revitalization.

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How 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.

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What is a Land Bank?

A land bank is a public entity with unique powers to put vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties back to productive use according to community goals.

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What is a Brownfield?

Brownfield properties, often referred to as “brownfields,” are properties where the presence or potential presence of hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant makes redevelopment challenging and costly.

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What to Know About the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act in 2025

NHIA would create a new federal tax credit to support construction or rehabilitation of single-family homes in distressed communities.

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How to Buy Property From a Land Bank

Find a land bank near you and make sure you understand what makes them different from traditional real estate sellers.

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To 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.

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