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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.

June 13, 2023

What Causes “Urban Prairies” in Shrinking Cities?

As cities shrink, once-urban land becomes available for other uses or reverts to nature, leading to the phenomenon of “urban prairies.”

June 2, 2023

Resources for Community Revitalization Leaders Adapting to Climate Change

A list of evidence-backed tools you can use to learn and think about community revitalization and climate adaptation for your community.

May 26, 2023

What Tyler v. Hennepin County Means for the Future of Property Tax Foreclosure Systems Across the Country

The SCOTUS decision opens up an opportunity for all states to redesign their property tax systems from beginning to end.

May 25, 2023

Community Progress Calls on FHA to Improve Access to Rehab Mortgages

On April 17, 2023, the Center for Community Progress submitted a response to the Federal Housing Administration (FHA)’s Request for Information (RFI) Regarding Rehabilitation Mortgages. A rehabilitation…

May 18, 2023

What Is Creative Placemaking?

Creative placemaking is the practice of enhancing a neighborhood’s quality of life through arts, culture, and intentional community development. This practice can take many forms, like visual…

May 11, 2023

Using Vacant Properties for a Climate Resilient Future

Discover how vacant properties can be transformed into climate-resilient assets. Exploring strategies for urban heat, stormwater management, and more.

May 2, 2023

Leaders in Land Banking: A Conversation with the Directors of the Savannah-Chatham Land Bank Authority and Omaha Municipal Land Bank

We sat down with Alison Goldey, director of the Chatham County/City of Savannah Land Bank Authority, and Leslie Smith, director of the Omaha Municipal Land Bank, to…

April 14, 2023

Looking for a Land Bank Near You? This Map Will Help!

Learn what a land bank is, how it works, how to buy vacant property from a land bank, and if any land banks serve your community.

April 6, 2023

How the Tri-COG Land Bank is Transforming Vacant Properties in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

Representing Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, the Tri-COG land bank has had enormous success in its first five years of operation.

March 16, 2023

New Report on Ten Years of Land Banking in New York Offers Compelling Metrics of Success, Useful Lessons, and a Lot of Inspiration

Ten year of land banking in New York shows that when granted sufficient legal powers, backed by adequate public sector funding, and led by thoughtful, entrepreneurial practitioners, land banks can help interrupt the cycle of disinvestment.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

What Can Neighbors Do about Vacant Buildings and Lots?

When neighbors come together, they can be a powerful voice for community revitalization.

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.

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.

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?

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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