Blog

Home » Blog

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.

Filter by Date

Topics

Why skyscrapers get a break under Philly’s stormwater pricing
October 4, 2013
Why skyscrapers get a break under Philly’s stormwater pricing

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…

Read More »
When neighborhood identity can restore demand
October 3, 2013
When neighborhood identity can restore demand

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…

Read More »
“A lot of tiny pieces lost”
October 2, 2013
“A lot of tiny pieces lost”

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…

Read More »
When trash bags and gardening tools can help fight crime
October 1, 2013
When trash bags and gardening tools can help fight crime

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…

Read More »
The case for federal investment in electronic county property records
September 30, 2013
The case for federal investment in electronic county property records

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…

Read More »
Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania shares land banking videos, feat. Kim Graziani and Frank Alexander
September 27, 2013
Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania shares land banking videos, feat. Kim Graziani and Frank Alexander

The Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania put together a Land Bank Headquarters page on its website, featuring training videos and in-depth interviews with experts from Community Progress and…

Read More »
Op-Ed: ‘Demolition’ is not a bad word — Just keep it strategic
September 26, 2013
Op-Ed: ‘Demolition’ is not a bad word — Just keep it strategic

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…

Read More »
The Mayors’ Exchange on Unlocking Value in Vacancy: Full Video
September 25, 2013
The Mayors’ Exchange on Unlocking Value in Vacancy: Full Video

Five mayors from cities across the country joined us at the Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference to share how their own communities are putting innovative programs into practice….

Read More »
Baltimore’s Three-Part System for Dealing With Vacant Properties
September 24, 2013
Baltimore’s Three-Part System for Dealing With Vacant Properties

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…

Read More »
Top headlines from the 2013 Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference
September 19, 2013
Top headlines from the 2013 Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference last week in Philadelphia!  Below, we’ve shared some of the most interesting headlines related…

Read More »
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.

Read More »
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.

Read More »
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.

Read More »
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.

Read More »
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.

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

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

Read More »
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.

Read More »
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.

Read More »
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.

Read More »
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…

Read More »