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Treasury announces how $2 billion for Hardest Hit Fund will be allocated
February 19, 2016
Treasury announces how $2 billion for Hardest Hit Fund will be allocated

  Today, Treasury announced how it will allocate the additional $2 billion dollars for the Hardest Hit Fund (HHF) program approved by Congress last December. HHF funding…

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So much PDA! Highlights from the 2016 #LoveThatLot campaign
February 16, 2016
So much PDA! Highlights from the 2016 #LoveThatLot campaign

In a nationwide Valentine’s Day “Public Display of Affection,” many of you shared your love for revitalized vacant places and the people who have poured their hearts into transforming…

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#LoveThatLot: Public Displays of Affection for revitalization projects!
January 14, 2016
#LoveThatLot: Public Displays of Affection for revitalization projects!

It’s almost Valentine’s Day. That means it’s time for Public Displays of Affection – for revitalized vacant lots and buildings, that is! We’re kicking off the second…

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Small scale, big results: Asset-based micro-planning in Youngstown, Ohio
December 17, 2015
Small scale, big results: Asset-based micro-planning in Youngstown, Ohio

What if the next big thing in blight elimination is to think small? Staff at the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation (YNDC) think that just might be the…

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Vacant industrial spaces are reborn to support a new age of small-scale manufacturing
December 17, 2015
Vacant industrial spaces are reborn to support a new age of small-scale manufacturing

There’s a myth surrounding post-industrial economies, Dan Kinkead, acting executive director of Detroit Future City, shares in conversation about the rebirth of small-scale manufacturing in his hometown…

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President’s Corner: Fresh approaches to the “preventive medicine” of vacant property revitalization
December 17, 2015
President’s Corner: Fresh approaches to the “preventive medicine” of vacant property revitalization

At Community Progress, we seek to help communities that are dealing with entrenched, often large-scale vacancy and abandonment in their neighborhoods. This is critically important, but it…

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Charting a new way forward through attorney-practitioner partnerships: Part II —Milwaukee
December 15, 2015
Charting a new way forward through attorney-practitioner partnerships: Part II —Milwaukee

This is the second in a two-part series exploring how strong working partnerships between practitioners and attorneys can give rise to innovation in the work to reclaim…

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Charting a new way forward through attorney-practitioner partnerships: Part I—Syracuse
December 15, 2015
Charting a new way forward through attorney-practitioner partnerships: Part I—Syracuse

This is the first in a two-part series exploring how strong working partnerships between practitioners and attorneys can give rise to innovation in the work to reclaim…

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#LotsofThanks: Recognizing revitalization champions
December 8, 2015
#LotsofThanks: Recognizing revitalization champions

All across the country, dedicated leaders are working day and night to combat vacancy and transform their communities. From the scrappy grassroots organizers to the forward-thinking public servants…

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Two new resources to inform short- and long-term vacant land reuse
November 23, 2015
Two new resources to inform short- and long-term vacant land reuse

When it comes to vacant land reuse, perhaps no other city in the nation faces as great of a challenge and as much of an opportunity as…

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Proposed Housing Legislation in the 119th Congress: What Land Banks Need to Know

Guidance for land banks on emerging housing legislation moving through Congress.

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How Vacant and Abandoned Buildings Affect Communities

Learn how vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties—referred to by some as “blighted properties”—pose significant costs to public health, property values, and local taxpayers.

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How Land Banks and Under-Resourced Developers Can Collaborate to Build Affordable Housing

Ways that land banks and under-resourced developers can collaborate to build green, affordable infill housing.

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What are Proactive Rental Inspection Programs?: Keeping Homes Occupied and Communities Healthy

Proactive rental inspection programs shift code enforcement from reactive to strategic, identifying health hazards like lead paint, mold, and broken heating before they harm tenants or push properties toward vacancy. Learn how local governments design effective programs, with examples from cities across the country.

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How Land Banks Can Address Brownfields: Case Studies

Land banks are well-positioned to engage in brownfield redevelopment. As public entities with unique powers to address vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties, land banks can help communities return these properties to productive use in alignment with community goals. A growing number of communities across the country are seeing land banks…

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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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