Posts Tagged ‘Pennsylvania’
From Randyland to grand new plans: Albany and Flint residents learn from Pittsburgh successes
What can dinosaurs teach us about vacant land? Probably not very much. Dinosaurs are long extinct. Even plastic dino-toys – though ironic – have very little to offer us relative to vacancy or community health. I am surprised one would really even ponder this question. But do you know who can share some important insights…
Read MoreHeirs’ Property, Part I: Preventing “tangled titles” and subsequent blight in Philadelphia
This is Part I of our series on heirs’ property. See Part II, “Providing legal aid in rural South Carolina to build family wealth and prevent vacancy” here. What happens to a property after its owner has passed on? In many cases, if the owner doesn’t leave a will, the answer may be unclear, leaving the…
Read MoreVacant Home Tour changes the conversation around vacancy in Wilkinsburg
A creative new project in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, is all about changing the conversation around vacancy and abandonment in the community. In its second year, the Vacant Home Tour tells the story behind several vacant homes and businesses, reminding visitors of the rich history of the neighborhood, and inviting participants to view properties as opportunities instead…
Read MoreIn 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: delinquent property tax foreclosure reform. It’s a mouthful, and it can be complex, but tax foreclosure systems have a big impact on the fight to reclaim blighted, vacant…
Read MoreAt the heart of it all
We can point to the negative impact of vacant properties on health, crime, property values, and other areas. We can study vacancy numbers and property tax revenues, strained public budgets, and the impacts of demolition and preservation. But when we’re caught up in the day-to-day, it can be easy to lose sight of what’s at…
Read MoreJust released! Our new report shares stories of placemaking in Legacy Cities
Today marks the release of our latest publication: Placemaking in Legacy Cities: Opportunities and Good Practices! The impetus for the report began with a question: how does placemaking apply to Legacy Cities — those former industrial hubs that are rich in historic, institutional, and other assets, but are grappling with sharp population declines? Are there good…
Read MoreWhat 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 good fight to reclaim their communities from the scourge of blight. And, in the face of challenges that can seem insurmountable, these leaders are succeeding. In fact, if…
Read MoreHousing 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 throughout the field, including Jim Rokakis of the Thriving Communities Initiative, Jons Kromer of the Fels Institute of Government, Katelyn Wright of the Syracuse Bureau of Planning and…
Read More