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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.

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Critical COVID-19 Opportunities for Communities Combatting Vacancy
April 8, 2020
Critical COVID-19 Opportunities for Communities Combatting Vacancy

As America actively battles one of history’s most impactful public health crises, the necessity of community development work and urgent help for communities in need is growing…

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A Word From Our CEO
April 8, 2020
A Word From Our CEO

Dear Fellow Impact Makers, We are in a pivotal moment. Too often in our history, crises like the current COVID-19 pandemic have been followed by profound inaction…

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Community Development Is Crucial in This Moment
April 6, 2020
Community Development Is Crucial in This Moment

The pandemic is highlighting the crucial necessity of community developers’ work. Here’s what the field will need to play its part in the recovery.  One month ago,…

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A Love Letter to the Next Decade of Community Development (from Shelterforce)  
April 3, 2020
A Love Letter to the Next Decade of Community Development (from Shelterforce)  

I’m in love. When you wake up every day knowing that what you do helps improve people’s lives and where they live, it’s one of the best…

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Problem to Purpose: From Landlord Neglect to a Circus for Youth
March 24, 2020
Problem to Purpose: From Landlord Neglect to a Circus for Youth

Newburgh’s Creative Solutions to the Vacancy and Deterioration Challenge Kids flying through the air on isn’t uncommon in one community north of New York City. There, residents…

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Event Update – Cornerstone Webinar Postponed, Recordings Available
March 23, 2020
Event Update – Cornerstone Webinar Postponed, Recordings Available

To our Community Progress Partners and Supporters,  As we all face the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we know you are playing vital roles in your communities, engaging in crucial tasks aimed at protecting public health…

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Community Progress Joins 200+ Nonprofits in Supporting “Charitable Sector: COVID-19 Relief and Economic Stimulus Package”
March 23, 2020
Community Progress Joins 200+ Nonprofits in Supporting “Charitable Sector: COVID-19 Relief and Economic Stimulus Package”

The Center for Community Progress is proud to join more than 200 fellow nonprofits including Smart Growth America,   Habitat for Humanity, United Way Worldwide, Meals on…

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Dorothy Mae Richardson: Honoring the Woman That Helped Shape Community Development
March 19, 2020
Dorothy Mae Richardson: Honoring the Woman That Helped Shape Community Development

Women’s History Month, which began in 1987, is a month-long celebration of women’s contributions to society, whether in the arts, sports, politics, or music. This month offers…

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Problem to Purpose: Indiana Teens Recycle to Turnaround Vacant Lots
March 17, 2020
Problem to Purpose: Indiana Teens Recycle to Turnaround Vacant Lots

Tired-A-Lot Transforms Vacant Properties While Creating Youth Volunteerism Teaching teens to give back can yield more than positive values and great character; it can help change a…

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Problem to Purpose: Teens Create Deterioration Answers in Colorado Springs
March 3, 2020
Problem to Purpose: Teens Create Deterioration Answers in Colorado Springs

A Camera and $500 Turn into a Deteriorated Property Solution “Eventually the youth started asking, ‘Why can’t we just make the changes?’” explained Mia Ramirez of The…

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Driving Change: A Mid-Year Reflection from Community Progress

A letter from our CEO & President about our work in the first six months of 2024.

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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 is the Neighborhood Revitalization and Land Banking Act?

The bipartisan bill is an important step in giving rural, urban, and suburban communities the tools to address “blighted” properties. The key focus of the bill is providing support to land banks, a tool many communities are adopting to support economic and neighborhood revitalization.  

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The Problem with Calling Neighborhoods with Vacant Properties “Blighted” 

Blight is a shorthand term many people use to refer to properties they perceive as problematic in some way.

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How 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.

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What Can Neighbors Do about Vacant Buildings and Lots?

When neighbors come together, they can be a powerful voice for community revitalization.

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What is Code Enforcement?

Code enforcement from A to Z: when it works, when it doesn’t, and how local governments can make code enforcement systems more fair for all.

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What’s the Deal with Rural Land Banks? A Q&A with West Virginia Land Stewardship Corporation Executive Director Taylor Bennett

Land banks can help rural communities deal with vacant, abandoned, and dilapidated properties.

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How to Prevent and Reduce Illegal Dumping

Cities spend millions each year cleaning up illegal dumping. What if they tried to make vacant lots less appealing to dumping in the first place?

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Tips for a Successful Session Proposal for the 2024 Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference

How to write a session proposal for the Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference that will get noticed.

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