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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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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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Headlines: The latest on vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties – August 3, 2019
August 3, 2019
Headlines: The latest on vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties – August 3, 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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Headlines: The latest on vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties – July 12, 2019
July 12, 2019
Headlines: The latest on vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties – July 12, 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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Headlines: The latest on vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties – June 28, 2019
June 28, 2019
Headlines: The latest on vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties – June 28, 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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Headlines: The latest on vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties – June 14, 2019
June 14, 2019
Headlines: The latest on vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties – June 14, 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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Headlines: The latest on vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties – May 16, 2019
May 16, 2019
Headlines: The latest on vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties – May 16, 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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Headlines: The latest on vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties – May 3, 2019
May 3, 2019
Headlines: The latest on vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties – May 3, 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….

Read More »
Headlines: The latest on vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties – April 18, 2019
April 18, 2019
Headlines: The latest on vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties – April 18, 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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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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