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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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About Tomorrow…Giving Tuesday
May 4, 2020
About Tomorrow…Giving Tuesday

Dear Progress Makers,  Your support matters. While the debates and data continue to evolve around our current public health crisis, there are at least two things we know:…

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Why Investing in Communities Matters More than Ever in the Time of Coronavirus (Webinar)
April 27, 2020
Why Investing in Communities Matters More than Ever in the Time of Coronavirus (Webinar)

Get answers! The COVID-19 pandemic is emerging as not just a health crisis but as a community crisis. What is the role of community development investment and cross-sector…

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New Podcast: Community Progress CEO Shares on Leadership During COVID-19 & the “Existential Threat” to Nonprofits
April 27, 2020
New Podcast: Community Progress CEO Shares on Leadership During COVID-19 & the “Existential Threat” to Nonprofits

How are nonprofit leaders across the United States “holding it together” during the COVID-19 pandemic? Authors and producers of Nonprofit Quarterly’s TinySpark Podcast, Amy Costello, and Frederica…

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Problem to Purpose: The Drug Activity Answer for One Lansing Neighborhood, Get Creative
April 21, 2020
Problem to Purpose: The Drug Activity Answer for One Lansing Neighborhood, Get Creative

Empty lots are open opportunities – for safety threats or community innovation. Pegasus Garden, located in the Prospect PLACE neighborhood in Lansing, Michigan, is a great example of what happens when communities choose option two.

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Preventing Post-COVID-19 Vacancy: 6 Interventions Local Governments Should be Thinking About Now
April 20, 2020
Preventing Post-COVID-19 Vacancy: 6 Interventions Local Governments Should be Thinking About Now

We are still many months away from fully understanding the public health and economic fallout from COVID-19. However, history can provide some foresight into how this crisis…

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Community Progress Announces Upcoming Webinars Focused on Preventing Post-COVID-19 Vacancy
April 20, 2020
Community Progress Announces Upcoming Webinars Focused on Preventing Post-COVID-19 Vacancy

Over the last 30-days we’ve watched the COVID-19 health crisis forever change the fabric of this country. The lives of millions of Americans have been impacted and…

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Problem to Purpose: Placemaking Brings Community Healing for Residents Impacted by Substance Abuse
April 14, 2020
Problem to Purpose: Placemaking Brings Community Healing for Residents Impacted by Substance Abuse

Today’s opioid epidemic has become “the worst public health crisis in Pennsylvania,” according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. On average, 10 Pennsylvanians lose their lives to a…

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Tax Lien Sales are Not a Vital Tool for Recovery; People Are
April 8, 2020
Tax Lien Sales are Not a Vital Tool for Recovery; People Are

We are in an unprecedented situation, and our concerns first and foremost should be about keeping people safe and, to the extent that it is the safest…

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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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Why Home Repair Programs Are Essential for Preventing Property Vacancy and Abandonment

Home repair is a core strategy to stop properties from becoming vacant in the first place.

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How Better Data Helps Communities Address Vacancy

What data sources you should be looking at if you’re interested in understanding, tracking, and solving property vacancy in your community.

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

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

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How a New Jersey Land Bank is Converting Vacant Properties into Homes for Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Holders

Learn how Newark, New Jersey is leveraging an underutilized HCV provision to make homeownership a reality for low-income residents.

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How Philanthropy Powers Land Bank Success 

Examples of how philanthropic partnerships have helped land banks launch new programs to revitalize communities.

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Five Creative Placemaking Projects Reimagining Live-Work Spaces

Examples of live-work unit projects that are transforming their neighborhoods through creative placemaking.

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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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