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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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Can we demolish our way to revitalization?
December 9, 2013
Can we demolish our way to revitalization?

Originally posted on the National Housing Institute’s Rooflines blog While the answer to that question in the title of this piece is obvious, there’s a strong case…

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What we’re thankful for today
November 28, 2013
What we’re thankful for today

If there’s one thing we’ve learned in this line of work it’s that, all over the country, there are thousands of talented, passionate leaders doggedly fighting the…

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Community Progress’ Kim Graziani and PACDC’s Rick Sauer talk Philly Land Bank on WHYY
November 8, 2013
Community Progress’ Kim Graziani and PACDC’s Rick Sauer talk Philly Land Bank on WHYY

“Will Philadelphia create a land bank, and how would it be most effective and equitable?” This was the question of the hour as Kim Graziani, Vice President…

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I Wish This Were a ______: A community re-imagines a blighted building in Lansing
November 6, 2013
I Wish This Were a ______: A community re-imagines a blighted building in Lansing

Some chalkboard paint and a bucket of chalk turned a vacant eyesore into a canvas of possibilities in Lansing, Michigan’s Urbandale neighborhood. The abandoned, crumbling Paro Party…

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The feds bow out: We’re on our own
October 31, 2013
The feds bow out: We’re on our own

Originally posted on the National Housing Institute’s Rooflines blog Yes, the federal government is back in business. After 16 days and untold billions in lost earnings and…

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Historic blight blitz is now underway in Flint, Saginaw
October 25, 2013
Historic blight blitz is now underway in Flint, Saginaw

A historic new ‘blight blitz’ is now underway in Michigan, constituting the largest blight removal program in the state’s history. Both the state and the nation have…

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Property tax madness: Another part of the Detroit puzzle
October 16, 2013
Property tax madness: Another part of the Detroit puzzle

There are many reasons that Detroit has filed for bankruptcy, and some have already been explored by others on Rooflines. Detroit’s problems have accumulated over decades, and are a…

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Manufacturing may be coming back, but it won’t bring jobs
October 10, 2013
Manufacturing may be coming back, but it won’t bring jobs

I finally got to see Detropia last week, the acclaimed documentary filmed in Detroit that’s been making the rounds of the film festivals and the indie houses. As someone who’s pretty…

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Wheeling, WV’s code enforcement strategy contends with a graying city
October 6, 2013
Wheeling, WV’s code enforcement strategy contends with a graying city

Cross-posted from Next City, this article is part of the 2013 Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference liveblog series. Check out all the in-depth content — even if you weren’t able to…

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Efficient property tax collections vs. the cult of homeownership
October 5, 2013
Efficient property tax collections vs. the cult of homeownership

Cross-posted from Next City, this article is part of the 2013 Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference liveblog series. Check out all the in-depth content — even if you weren’t able to…

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Ira Goldstein on Lessons in Redevelopment Without Displacement from Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood Neighborhood: An RVP Speaker Spotlight

We asked one of our speakers to preview his session at the 2026 Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference, and what you’ll learn by attending.

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Jack BeVier on Rethinking Vacant Property Strategy in an Era of Private Reinvestment: An RVP Speaker Spotlight

We asked one of our speakers to preview his session at the 2026 Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference, and what you’ll learn by attending.

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Aaron Sukenik and Cate Irvin on Sustaining Storefront Activation in Downtown Pittsburgh: An RVP Speaker Spotlight

We asked our speakers to preview their walking tour at the 2026 Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference, and what you’ll learn by attending.

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Get Ready for the ROAD to Housing Act: Steps to Take Before Accessing New Housing Funds

What the ROAD to Housing Act contains relating to community revitalization and vacant property reuse.

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What Pung v. Isabella Means for Communities Dealing with Vacant, Tax-Delinquent Property

What communities dealing with property vacancy, abandonment, and tax delinquency should expect following the Supreme Court’s ruling in Pung.

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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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