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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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NeighborWorks honors Alan Mallach as a “visionary leader in community development”
October 30, 2014
NeighborWorks honors Alan Mallach as a “visionary leader in community development”

For anyone who knows Alan Mallach, senior fellow at Community Progress, it shouldn’t be a shock that he’s being honored as a “visionary leader in community development.”…

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What’s the matter with Atlantic City?
October 22, 2014
What’s the matter with Atlantic City?

Originally posted on the National Housing Institute’s Rooflines blog Over the past few months, there’s been a drumbeat of bad news coming out of Atlantic City. Since…

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New York Attorney General announces $20M in land bank funding
October 20, 2014
New York Attorney General announces $20M in land bank funding

The New York Attorney General announced yesterday that he is allocating $20 million to be awarded to land banks across the State. This is the second year that the Attorney…

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On World Food Day, a look at food justice & urban ag with Garden Justice Legal Initiative in Philadelphia
October 16, 2014
On World Food Day, a look at food justice & urban ag with Garden Justice Legal Initiative in Philadelphia

On World Food Day, which is themed  “Family Farming: Feeding the World, Caring for the Earth” this year, we’re exploring how the reuse of vacant properties can be…

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New York’s land banks report statewide progress
October 8, 2014
New York’s land banks report statewide progress

Today, the New York Land Bank Association (NYLBA) released New York State Land Banks: Combating Blight and Vacancy in New York Communities, a report on the early…

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Natalie Pruett: New Community Progress hire lends unique viewpoint as Flint native
September 30, 2014
Natalie Pruett: New Community Progress hire lends unique viewpoint as Flint native

We are pleased to welcome our newest staff member, Natalie Pruett, Program Officer of Michigan Initiatives, to the Community Progress team. To introduce her, we asked her…

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Flint’s framework for the future
July 1, 2014
Flint’s framework for the future

This article was originally published in the Summer 2014 issue of Breaking Ground, our quarterly newsletter. To receive Breaking Ground in your inbox, please join our email…

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Hardest Hit Funds demolition policy change on track to become a boon for distressed communities
July 1, 2014
Hardest Hit Funds demolition policy change on track to become a boon for distressed communities

This article was originally published in the Summer 2014 issue of Breaking Ground, our quarterly newsletter. To receive Breaking Ground in your inbox, please join our email list….

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Building a movement: Michigan Land Bank Leadership Summit
June 25, 2014
Building a movement: Michigan Land Bank Leadership Summit

“You’re going to be the vanguard for what will become a movement across the nation.” That was the call to action George McCarthy issued during a keynote…

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10 new land banks authorized in New York!
June 11, 2014
10 new land banks authorized in New York!

(Learn more about what New York”s land banks are up to in the new report,  “New York State Land Banks: Combating Blight and Vacancy in New York…

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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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