Publications

Community Progress publishes reports, case studies, and toolkits to help communities across the country turn vacant spaces into vibrant places. Download hundreds of free resources today, and sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest publications directly in your inbox.

Vacant Land Stewardship

Vacant Land Keys to Success: Partnerships
Insights from the National Survey on Greening

In this brief from Keys to Success, you’ll find an explainer on how successful strategic partnerships contribute to vacant land stewardship.

Parcel Data & Neighborhood Markets, Racial Equity, State/National Analysis

Making the Comeback
Reversing the Downward Trajectory of African American Middle Neighborhoods in Legacy Cities

Black urban middle neighborhoods are facing an existential crisis. This report shares key highlights from Alan Mallach’s research from predominately Black neighborhoods in six legacy cities and offers strategies for Black middle neighborhood revival.

Vacant Land Stewardship

Vacant Land Keys to Success
Lessons from the Field on Vacant Lot Greening

Keys to Success: Lessons from the Field, reports on findings from a six-year research project exploring greening as a method to reduce youth violence and injury. It identifies practices that help greening organizations meet the rising demand for vacant lot care across the country.

State/National Analysis, Vacant Land Stewardship

America’s Vacant Lot Landscape
Insights from the National Survey on Greening

This report presents descriptive findings from the National Survey on Greening — conducted as part of a five-year research project between the Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center and the Center for Community Progress — on the current capacity, practices, and trends these organizations are experiencing and what they still need to effectively manage their growing vacant lot inventories.

Local Analysis

Forward Toledo
An Exploratory Assessment to Inform Future Comprehensive Planning

The Toledo Exploratory Assessment presents an objective and evidenced-based analysis of Toledo’s potential, providing residents, businesses and community stakeholders the tools to boldly and confidently chart a course forward.

Code Enforcement System, State/National Analysis

Revitalization in Michigan
A Guide to Transforming VAD Properties through Code Enforcement

Revitalization in Michigan: A Guide to Transforming VAD Properties through Code Enforcement breaks down leading code enforcement tools that help fight vacancy through traditional enforcement, proactive regulation, and additional strategies.

Code Enforcement System, Local Analysis, Property Tax System

Preliminary Assessment of Vacancy and Abandonment Challenges in Utica, NY
A Community Progress Technical Assistance Report

The City of Utica, New York engaged the Center for Community Progress to carry out a preliminary assessment of the City’s policies, programs, tools, and operations in place to address vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties.

State/National Analysis

State of Vacancy in Michigan (2020)
General Trends in Residential Vacancy and Distressed Properties

The State of Vacancy in Michigan 2020 Update shares the general trends in residential vacancy and distressed properties across Michigan’s counties and 25 cities experiencing the highest rates of residential vacancy.

Local Analysis

Islandview Greater Villages
Neighborhood Framework Plan

Neighborhood Framework for the Islandview Greater Villages (IVGV) seeks to 1) communicate current and near-term implementation initiatives and 2) outline long-term recommendations and guiding principles that can spur neighborhood growth over time.

ARPA, COVID-19

Hope for the Best, Plan for the Worst
Addressing the Aftermath Of The COVID-19 Pandemic In America’s Struggling Neighborhoods

This short guide helps local officials and community stakeholders start thinking about how to address the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Code Enforcement System, Local Analysis

An Assessment of Code Enforcement Strategies in Lima, Ohio
Observations and Recommendations

How Lima can address its vacant and abandoned buildings and lots to improve community wellbeing.

Land Banks, Local Analysis

Creating Homeownership Opportunities in Newark through Housing Choice Vouchers
A Newark Land Bank Case Study

How the Newark Land Bank is using Housing Choice Vouchers to help people become homeowners.

Brownfields, Land Banks

Land Banks & Brownfield Redevelopment
A Step-by-Step Overview

A step-by-step guide for how land banks can redevelop polluted or contaminated properties and put them back to productive use.

Local Analysis

Addressing Vacant, Abandoned, and Deteriorated Properties in Arkansas
A Policy Brief

Arkansas communities face sizable challenges with vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated (VAD) properties—what many call “blighted” properties. These challenges encompass vacant commercial properties in the state’s rural main streets and urban downtowns, abandoned houses and overgrown lots in residential neighborhoods, and deteriorated structures scattered throughout rural and agricultural communities. Nearly 30…

Code Enforcement System, Land Banks, Local Analysis, Property Tax System

Enhancing Capacity to Repurpose New Jersey’s Vacant Properties
How to Advance Community Goals Through Land Banking and Other Tools

This brief is a product of the New Jersey Land Bank Launch Initiative. The competition for land (with and without structures) is being felt acutely across the Garden State. Since the pandemic, many New Jersey communities have seen markets flip almost overnight, with an influx of new residents who had…

Land Banks, Racial Equity

The Road Ahead for Land Banks
Opportunities for Growth and Greater Equity

For nearly 15 years, the Center for Community Progress has tirelessly worked with hundreds of land bank leaders, practitioners, partners, and allies to help land banks revitalize their communities. Through our expert guidance, resources, leadership programming, policy advocacy, and the National Land Bank Network (NLBN), we have been an integral…

Land Banks, Racial Equity

How Land Banks Are Leading Racial Justice Efforts
Moving from Vision to Action for Equitable Development

It is not a coincidence that systemic vacancy—and its associated social, economic, and environmental harms—disproportionately affects Black and Brown neighborhoods. This is the result of decades of racist, inequitable policies and institutional disinvestment. Land banks are a powerful tool to break this cycle of vacancy, coordinate new investments in long-neglected…

Property Tax System

Policy Brief: Tyler v. Hennepin County in 2024
Updated Analysis and Policy Reform Options

On May 25, 2023, the US Supreme Court handed down its decision in Tyler v. Hennepin County, making a significant incursion into the state and local government practice of property tax foreclosure. In short, the Tyler decision posits that tax foreclosure is solely a debt collection tool and that local…

Land Banks, Local Analysis

Exploring the Utility and Value of Creating a Land Bank in Atlantic City
New Jersey Land Bank Launch Technical Assistance Scholarship

This memo is a product of the New Jersey Land Bank Launch Initiative. This memorandum summarizes key takeaways, observations, and recommendations for the U.S. HART CARES leadership team (US HART) and the City of Atlantic City (City) to consider as they explore implementation of a land bank to address vacant,…

Land Banks, Local Analysis

Assessment of VAD Strategies and a Land Bank in Salem, New Jersey
New Jersey Land Bank Launch Technical Assistance Scholarship

This brief is a product of the New Jersey Land Bank Launch Initiative. This memorandum summarizes key takeaways, observations, and recommendations for the City of Salem (City) and its partner, the Cumberland County Improvement Authority (The Authority) to consider as they explore implementation of a land bank to address vacant,…

Publications

Topic

Geography