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.

Land Banks

2025 State of Land Banking Survey Snapshot
Key Takeaways

This one-pager of our 2025 State of Land Banking summarizes survey results.

Code Enforcement System

Code Enforcement Training Guide
A Strategic Curriculum for Local Practitioners Nationwide

A guide to training your code enforcement officers to help achieve your department’s ultimate goal: Compliance.

Code Enforcement System, Property Tax System

Louisville Metro Government Code Liens Analysis
Analysis and Recommendations

Analysis and strategy recommendations for using code lien foreclosure in service of neighborhood revitalization while minimizing unintended harm.

Code Enforcement System, Local Analysis

Code Compliance in Providence, Rhode Island
Recommendations to Promote Equitable Code Compliance for Substandard Rental Properties

Community Progress assessed Providence’s code enforcement approach for deteriorating, occupied rental properties and recommended improvements.

Cover page of the Rochester Land Bank Corporation Strategic Plan

Land Banks, Local Analysis

Rochester Land Bank Five-Year Strategic Plan
2026–2030

The Rochester Land Bank’s new strategic plan reimagines its role in revitalizing vacant properties, expanding homeownership, and strengthening neighborhoods.

Cover page of the Cleveland Code Enforcement Training Guide

Code Enforcement System

Cleveland Code Enforcement Training Guide
A Strategic Curriculum for Local Practitioners

A curriculum for training code enforcement officers, focused on compliance without unintended harm.

cover image of recommendations to wayne county report

Land Banks, State & Local Analysis

Recommendations for the Wayne County Land Bank
Regarding Approach to Acquisition and Disposition of Nontraditional Properties

The memo outlines 12 recommendations for the WCLB to improve disposition of challenging properties, strengthen partnerships, and align operations with broader goals for housing, sustainability, and economic development.

Land Banks

Detroit Land Bank Authority Strategic Plan
Next Five: 2025–2030 Strategic Plan

“Next Five” is a strategic plan for the Detroit Land Bank Authority for 2025-2030, developed by Community Progress in partnership with DLBA.

Code Enforcement System, Land Banks

Recommendations for the Hopkinsville and Christian County Landbank Authority
Addressing Vacant and Abandoned Properties through Code Lien Foreclosure

Guidance for dealing with the community’s vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties.

Land Banks

Emergency Housing in Rural Upstate New York
How Land Banks May Help Address the Crisis

Ways that land banks in rural communities can use their powers to help address homelessness and emergency housing needs.

Code Enforcement System, Local Analysis, Parcel Data & Neighborhood Markets, Property Tax System

Laying the Foundation
Developing an Improved Approach to Problem Properties in Rockford

This report shares the findings from our technical assistance engagement with the City of Rockford, Illinois.

Local Analysis, Parcel Data & Neighborhood Markets

Where Will People Live?
New Orleans’ Growing Rental Housing Challenge

This report shares the findings of Community Progress’ 2016 technical assistance engagement with New Orleans to assess rental housing conditions.

Code Enforcement System, Local Analysis

Alternative Strategies for an Equitable, Efficient, and Effective Code Enforcement System in Mobile, Alabama
A Community Progress Technical Assistance Report

This report shares the findings of Community Progress’ 2016 technical assistance engagement with Mobile, Alabama to outline an equitable, efficient, and effective code enforcement system.

Code Enforcement System, Local Analysis, Parcel Data & Neighborhood Markets, Property Tax System

A Conservative Analysis of Costs Imposed by Vacant and Blighted Properties in Toledo
Conducted at the Invitation of the Junction Neighborhood

This report shares the findings from our technical assistance engagement with the Lucas County Land Reutilization Corporation about the Junction neighborhood in Toledo, Ohio.

Local Analysis, Parcel Data & Neighborhood Markets, Vacant Land Stewardship

An Open Space Action Plan for the Junction Neighborhood in Toledo, Ohio
A Community Progress Technical Assistance Report

This Action Plan shares a practical plan resulting from our technical assistance engagement with the Lucas County Land Reutilization Corporation about the Junction neighborhood in Toledo, Ohio.

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

Developing a Shared Vision and Strategies to Address Vacancy and Abandonment in the City of St. Louis
A Community Progress Technical Assistance Report

This report shares the findings from our technical assistance engagement with the City of St. Louis, Missouri.

Parcel Data & Neighborhood Markets

Neighborhoods by Numbers
An Introduction to Finding and Using Small Area Data

This guide aims to make data on properties more accessible and to encourage people to use it to make better decisions about the future of their communities.

Code Enforcement System, Land Banks, Local Analysis, Parcel Data & Neighborhood Markets, Property Tax System

Vacancy and Abandonment in the City of Indianapolis, Indiana
A Community Progress Technical Assistance Report

This report shares the findings of Community Progress’ 2016 technical assistance engagement with the City of Indianapolis, Indiana.

Local Analysis, Property Tax System

Catch or Release
An Analysis of Residential Tax-Foreclosure Conveyance in Flint, Michigan, between 2008 and 2015

This report examines and compares indicators related to tax-foreclosed residential properties in Flint, Michigan via the two existing systems: the Treasurer’s public auction and the land bank authority.

Local Analysis, Property Tax System

Detroit’s Property Tax Policies and Practices
An Opportunity for Reform

This brief calls attention to the importance of Detroit’s property tax policies and practices in the city’s overall revitalization efforts, and offers some recommended actions, and longer term considerations for improving this system.

Publications

Topic

Geography