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Finding common ground in the fight against blight
May 20, 2014
Finding common ground in the fight against blight

Originally posted on The Catalyst: Ideas and Insights from Living Cities As a part of the Project on Municipal Innovation (PMI) – A network of Mayoral chiefs of staff…

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New release! Guide to redeveloping vacant commercial properties
May 6, 2014
New release! Guide to redeveloping vacant commercial properties

There’s a new resource available for communities tackling a challenging subset of blighted properties: commercial vacant properties. Redeveloping Commercial Vacant Properties in Legacy Cities: A Guidebook for…

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Webcast: Community Progress speaks on vacant properties and land banks at HUD
April 18, 2014
Webcast: Community Progress speaks on vacant properties and land banks at HUD

In conjunction with the release of HUD’s latest issue of “Evidence Matters,” Kim Graziani and Alan Mallach were invited to speak at HUD’s Quarterly Briefing last week….

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In Honor of Tax Day: A Crash Course in Tax Foreclosure Reform 101
April 15, 2014
In Honor of Tax Day: A Crash Course in Tax Foreclosure Reform 101

In the midst of flurries of W-2s and fingers crossed for refunds, we’re taking the opportunity on this Tax Day to break down a different tax-related challenge:…

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Breaking down deconstruction: What Detroit gained from dismantling instead of destroying
March 31, 2014
Breaking down deconstruction: What Detroit gained from dismantling instead of destroying

It might not be immediately obvious, but in the rubble and decay of vacant, dilapidated properties — those that are so far deteriorated, they’ve been slated for…

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Can Youngstown Make It On Its Own?
March 26, 2014
Can Youngstown Make It On Its Own?

Originally posted on the National Housing Institute’s Rooflines blog Youngstown is a small city in the hills of northeast Ohio, once famous for steelmaking; and sadly, if…

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Is gentrification different in Legacy Cities?
March 10, 2014
Is gentrification different in Legacy Cities?

Originally posted on Legacy Cities by American Assembly Most research on revitalizing neighborhoods views them as instances of “gentrification,” the movement of young, often single, professionals into low-income,…

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Raising the bar in The Big Easy: Remediating 10,000 blighted properties in less than four years
February 27, 2014
Raising the bar in The Big Easy: Remediating 10,000 blighted properties in less than four years

In January 2014, Mayor Mitch Landrieu announced that the City of New Orleans had not only met, but actually exceeded a major goal set back in September…

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President’s Preview:  Communities across the country are turning to creative board-ups
February 27, 2014
President’s Preview: Communities across the country are turning to creative board-ups

Like many of you, I envision a future in which entrenched blight and vacancy in our communities is no more than a bad memory. While we work…

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Two and a half years in, land banking takes shape in New York State
February 27, 2014
Two and a half years in, land banking takes shape in New York State

(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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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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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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