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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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How to stop predatory land contracts and rent-to-own scams: require habitability
September 19, 2017
How to stop predatory land contracts and rent-to-own scams: require habitability

Any views or opinions represented in this blog post belong solely to the guest blog author.  By: Sarah B. Mancini and Margot Saunders, National Consumer Law Center The…

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From a Shipping Container to a Solar-Powered Greenhouse: Arts Meets Agriculture in Detroit
September 15, 2017
From a Shipping Container to a Solar-Powered Greenhouse: Arts Meets Agriculture in Detroit

In Detroit, a recycled shipping container will soon become a community beacon for fresh food, job creation, and arts and culture. Part agricultural, part placemaking, the Liberty…

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From Randyland to grand new plans: Albany and Flint residents learn from Pittsburgh successes
September 5, 2017
From Randyland to grand new plans: Albany and Flint residents learn from Pittsburgh successes

What can dinosaurs teach us about vacant land? Probably not very much. Dinosaurs are long extinct. Even plastic dino-toys – though ironic – have very little to…

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In Flint, block clubs make a difference worth millions
August 11, 2017
In Flint, block clubs make a difference worth millions

  This article is the fifth and final story in a five-story series on resident-led revitalization efforts in Flint, Michigan, developed thanks to the support of the…

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Westmoreland County’s redevelopment authority and land bank tackle affordability and accessibility
August 10, 2017
Westmoreland County’s redevelopment authority and land bank tackle affordability and accessibility

  Westmoreland County, located southeast of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has an active redevelopment authority and a land bank. It also has a large, and growing, aging population and…

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Flint mapping makes city planning a team effort
August 8, 2017
Flint mapping makes city planning a team effort

  This article is the fourth in a five-story series on resident-led revitalization efforts in Flint, Michigan, developed thanks to the support of the Community Foundation of…

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Bridging policy and placemaking to activate vacant properties in the Twin Cities
August 7, 2017
Bridging policy and placemaking to activate vacant properties in the Twin Cities

Placemaking–and creative placemaking–has received a lot of attention over the past few years in community development circles—but what is it? And how does it relate to vacant…

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When it comes to keeping up Flint’s parks, it takes an army
July 31, 2017
When it comes to keeping up Flint’s parks, it takes an army

  This article is the third in a five-story series on resident-led revitalization efforts in Flint, Michigan, developed thanks to the support of the Community Foundation of…

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In Flint neighborhood, vacant lots will soon bear fruit
July 20, 2017
In Flint neighborhood, vacant lots will soon bear fruit

  This article is the second in a five-story series on resident-led revitalization efforts in Flint, Michigan, developed thanks to the support of the Community Foundation of…

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Flint co-op will put good food, ownership in hands of residents
July 13, 2017
Flint co-op will put good food, ownership in hands of residents

  This article is the first in a five-story series on resident-led revitalization efforts in Flint, Michigan, developed thanks to the support of the Community Foundation of…

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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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