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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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Election day: Local leadership is critical to revitalization
November 4, 2014
Election day: Local leadership is critical to revitalization

Voters across the nation stream to the polls today in our annual democratic exercise, weighing the promises from candidates in how best to address some of our…

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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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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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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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