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Community Progress regularly posts to this blog on a range of related topics to help communities across the country turn vacant spaces into vibrant places. Please check back regularly, and sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest news directly in your inbox.

December 5, 2020

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…

November 4, 2020

The Neighborhood Homes Investment Act Movement: Operationalizing This Targeted, Bipartisan Tax Credit to Help Communities

Closing the appraisal gap (the difference between the cost to acquire and rehab or build a property and its updated market value) could help change the landscape…

October 12, 2020

Top 5 Racial Equity Resources: Community Progress Picks

Today’s growing social justice movement is experiencing a new surge as Black and Brown communities continue to grapple with the long-term effects created by decades of disinvestment,…

October 1, 2020

The Power of Long-Term Investment – Preserving Affordable Housing in Atlanta

For years, nonprofit CEOs and thought leaders have been calling for a new investment strategy to help create sustainable change in communities. While the call has been…

September 22, 2020

COVID-19 Recovery: Alan Mallach, Smart Growth America, and More Share on the Future of Cities

COVID-19 is proving to be more than a crisis for America’s cities, towns, and counties. The unexpected synergy of a pandemic, elections, climate change and social unrest…

September 8, 2020

New! Download Revitalization in Michigan: A Guide to Transforming VAD Properties through Code Enforcement

Code enforcement that is used equitably, efficiently, and effectively is one of the most promising approaches to vacant, abandoned, and deteriorating properties at work in the United…

September 3, 2020

Go “Back to School” With These Post-COVID-19 Trainings – Black Neighborhoods, Future of Cities, and More Community Development Help

We know this fall is won’t be “normal.” What we do know is that from back-to-school planning to preparing 2021 budgets, we’ll need real-time data and updates…

September 3, 2020

FREE “Boot Camp” Helps Fighting Vacancy – Join Us for the 2020 VAD Academy!

Property revitalization has never been more critical need as cities across the country continue to battle vacancy, abandonment, and housing instability resulting from natural disasters and the COVID-19…

August 20, 2020

Filling the Gaps: Helping Struggling Property Owners Connect to Rehab and Repair Resources

Today, property owners – homeowners, landlords and businesses – feeling the active COVID-19 impacts are also bracing for a possible larger real estate market downturn and more…

August 20, 2020

New Webinars Unlock the Black Middle Neighborhood Challenges and Opportunities

In the last twenty years, predominantly African-American ‘middle neighborhoods’ have endured the same challenges as other communities, but with different results. The historic injustices that were thought…

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.

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.

Five Innovative Approaches from Land Banks Across the Country

Five examples of creative approaches land banks have taken to addressing vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties.

Meet the 2024-25 Cohort of Community Revitalization Fellows

Grassroots community leaders from Lafayette, Memphis, and Rochester share their stories and motivations for community revitalization.

Our Commitment to Code Enforcement: 2024 Recap

In 2024, Community Progress doubled down on its commitment to helping local governments use code enforcement to address VAD properties.

Opportunities to Connect Urban Conservation and Vacant Land Stewardship

In many communities, tackling vacant lots can feel like an impossible challenge. Local officials, land banks, and community organizations recognize the importance of finding effective strategies to maintain and repurpose vacant lots to meet community needs. According to the National Land Bank Network’s 2023 State of Land Banking Survey, vacant…

2024 Year in Review: National Land Bank Network

Learn how the National Land Bank Network served land banks across the country in 2024.

Looking for a Land Bank Near You? This Map Will Help!

Learn what a land bank is, how it works, how to buy vacant property from a land bank, and if any land banks serve your community.

Why 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…

That’s a Wrap on RVP 2024!

This month, we were excited to put another Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference (RVP) on the books. Our 2024 conference brought 900 people from across the country to St. Louis for three days of learning, exploration, and even dance! Day 1: The Service Project and Welcome Ceremony Every RVP, Community Progress…

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