Vacant Properties Resources Index

This Index of the Vacant Properties Resources Library provides information, tools, and guidance to address systemic vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated property issues. Also see our vacant properties topic page for an overview and other related materials.

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Safely Demolishing Vacant Buildings and Recovering Municipal Costs

Before bringing in the heavy machinery, local governments should determine what demolition principles matter most for their community. Demolition can be done fast, well, or cheaply, but not all three. Deciding what matters most upfront shapes every practical decision that follows. Consider dust suppression: “Wet-wet-wet demolition”—spraying the building before, during, and after demolition—significantly reduces airborne particles that may contain lead or trigger asthma. Deconstruction achieves a similar benefit. However, both approaches add time and cost….

Site Analysis for Vacant Property Reuse

Before determining the best reuse for a vacant building or lot, communities need a clear-eyed understanding of both the property itself and its surrounding neighborhood context. A use may be appropriate for a neighborhood but unworkable on a particular property. Conversely, a property may be well-suited for a specific use that the local market can’t yet support. Effective site analysis resolves these questions before you make reuse decisions. Good site analysis starts with assembling quality…

Reusing Vacant Properties

Determining the most appropriate reuse for vacant structures and land is one of the central challenges of neighborhood revitalization. The process looks very different depending on local market conditions. In both cases, how reuse is selected, planned, and designed is a critical step in neighborhood revitalization. Individual projects that transform vacant properties can be pilots for broader planning efforts, engaging residents and strengthening a neighborhood’s civic infrastructure along the way. The goal is to identify…

Evaluating Legal and Financial Barriers to Vacant Property Reuse

Vacant properties often carry tangled ownership histories and unresolved financial obligations that can complicate or entirely block reuse. If a community has weak tax enforcement laws and processes, then properties that have been foreclosed on by a local government for tax delinquency or code violations often have defective, uninsurable title. For any public entity that owns a vacant property and plans to convey it to a new owner, the key question is: Can you provide…