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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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Power of Placemaking – What Vacancy Victories from Massachusetts, New York, and California Taught Us
February 18, 2020
Power of Placemaking – What Vacancy Victories from Massachusetts, New York, and California Taught Us

From increased fire outbreaks to elevated safety concerns, there’s no secret property vacancy can weigh down a community. But, how can communities lift themselves up? What are…

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Problem to Purpose: From Gas Station to Food Station, Solving Insecurity through Creative Placemaking
February 18, 2020
Problem to Purpose: From Gas Station to Food Station, Solving Insecurity through Creative Placemaking

According to a 2017 study, a whopping 48 percent of Detroit households are “food insecure.” This means that nearly 30,000 Detroit residents experience hurdles when trying to access…

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#LoveThatLot – Help Tell America’s Big Revitalization Story, Score National Exposure
February 14, 2020
#LoveThatLot – Help Tell America’s Big Revitalization Story, Score National Exposure

#ValentinesDay six years ago was just the start. For six years, you’ve shared #LoveThatLot stories of your revitalization wins that have turned vacant lots and homes into…

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Problem to Purpose: A Closing Mill Leads Turns into and Art Opportunity
February 11, 2020
Problem to Purpose: A Closing Mill Leads Turns into and Art Opportunity

Dubbed the “Birthplace of Macon,” the once-bustling Mill Hill neighborhood took a hit when its mill closed in 2015. With the mill doors suddenly shuttering, Mill Hill’s…

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Problem to Purpose: 10-Week Safety Turnaround through Public Art
February 4, 2020
Problem to Purpose: 10-Week Safety Turnaround through Public Art

Massachusetts Placemaking Lighting Display’s Downtown Impact The eerie feeling of a dark alley and dim-lit underpass isn’t just a feeling. A recent New York City study showed that increased…

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New Online Webinars: Middle Neighborhoods with Alan Mallach, Land Banking, Code Enforcement and More
January 31, 2020
New Online Webinars: Middle Neighborhoods with Alan Mallach, Land Banking, Code Enforcement and More

          2020 Cornerstone Webinars Feature Updated Data and Trend Training from Community Progress This Spring, Community Progress will make staying up to date…

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Problem to Purpose: A Parking Lot Becomes a Beach?
January 21, 2020
Problem to Purpose: A Parking Lot Becomes a Beach?

More than 30 percent of parents travel with their kids to a beach for enjoyment, but what do you do when the sand’s out of reach? One…

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Problem to Purpose: Three Oakland Projects Fight Community Challenges through Art
January 15, 2020
Problem to Purpose: Three Oakland Projects Fight Community Challenges through Art

Pop-up Library, Traffic-Injury Prevention, and Problem Properties Conversion with Creative Placemaking There’s an old adage, “money’s the answer, now what’s the question.” Sixty-five percent of neighborhood changemakers…

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Top 5 Community Progress Resources of 2019
December 19, 2019
Top 5 Community Progress Resources of 2019

Five Game-Changing Community Development Resources to Help Drive Revitalization What’s working in Community Development? Sixty thousand readers, 1,400 conference attendees, and thousands more downloaders and training attendees…

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Headlines: The latest on vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties – August 22, 2019
August 22, 2019
Headlines: The latest on vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties – August 22, 2019

This is our twice-monthly round-up of news stories covering challenges related to vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties — and how communities are transforming these properties into assets….

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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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