Vacant Land Elements Examples
Vacant land stewardship requires four fundamental elements: knowing your community’s context, having clear goals and plans, committing to collaboration, and enacting facilitative policies. These four elements will look different in every community, but they are all critical components of implementing successful vacant land stewardship. To learn more about these elements and discover some next steps for your community's learning journey, explore the element examples below.
To view presorted examples by type click on one of the following: Plans » Policy » Collaboration » Context »
Element Type
Organization
City of Gary
The Gary Green Infrastructure Plan is a city-wide framework for green infrastructure. The plan integrates with broader land use planning and redevelopment efforts and details existing conditions. Importantly, it provides tools, strategies, and recommendations for project prioritization and discusses management,…
Read More »
St. Louis Vacancy Collaborative
“The St. Louis Vacancy Collaborative is a coalition of community members, private and nonprofit stakeholders, and City agencies committed to reducing vacant property in St. Louis. The Collaborative helps to coordinate existing vacancy efforts under one umbrella and empowers the public and…
Read More »
City of Baltimore
Baltimore’s Open Data Portal provides access to hundreds of datasets and interactive dashboards. The Vacant Building Dashboard shares data on number of vacant building notices, building rehabs, and demolitions. The data can be sorted and filtered by geographic bounds, time…
Read More »
City of St. Louis Land Reutilization Authority
The ‘Mow to Own’ Program is allows residents who own an occupied residential or commercial property to purchase adjacent vacant lots for $125. Applications are submitted to the St. Louis Land Reutilization Authority (LRA) Board of Commissioners for review. Following approval, the successful applicant receives a deed to the property with a two-year maintenance lien.
Read More »
City of Detroit
The Detroit Solar Toolkit consists of five different tools to enable Detroiters to undertake the equitable deployment of solar energy as a path to a more sustainable future for residents of Detroit. The tools include an online solar map, solar…
Read More »
Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy
The Pollinator Project uses re-naturalization techniques to stabilize vacant urban land in Saginaw, MI. Through a partnership with the Saginaw County Land Bank, the Pollinator Project has transformed over half the land bank’s vacant lot inventory. Other partners, including community…
Read More »
City of Flint
The repurposing of vacant properties is a central component of Imagine Flint. Recognizing that some areas of Flint cannot continue to exist as they do today, Flint residents have chosen to adapt and transform their neighborhoods and commercial corridors into…
Read More »
Heartland Conservation Alliance
This mapping tool is designed to help prioritize the vacant lots that can have the most environmental and health benefits for urban communities. The tool provides parcel specific information and important contextual information like if it is in a flood…
Read More »A Brief Primer
This brief explains how equitable, efficient, and effective code enforcement can be successful in preventing vacancy.
Read More »A New Approach to Addressing Problem Properties
Traditional code enforcement—focused on issuing citations and fines—isn’t working in the places that need it most. A more strategic approach could change that.
Read More »A Policy Brief
When it comes to vacant, abandoned,
and deteriorated properties, rural communities face specific barriers.
for Dealing with Vacant Buildings and Lots
A workbook and guide and workbook for residents who want to help address problem properties in their neighborhoods.
Read More »The State of Land Banking Survey, first conducted in 2021, represents the only opportunity for the land banking field to tell its story with comprehensive data. Key takeaways from this year’s survey: Citing this research: “2023 State of Land Banking Survey,” Center for Community Progress, October 2023. www.communityprogress.org/publications/2023-state-of-land-banking
Read More »A Decision-Making Roadmap
The City of South Bend, Indiana engaged Community Progress to assess the feasibility of a land bank and provide a road map of critical decision points. This report identifies what keeps vacant lots and buildings stuck in a cycle of decline, and how a land bank might help.
Read More »Examining Heirs' Property in Three Rural Georgia Counties
This project of the Carl Vinson Institute of Government examines the scale of heirs’ property across three Georgia counties.
Read More »Analysis and Policy Reform Options for State and Local Governments
What state and local government leaders need to know to reform their property tax foreclosure systems after Tyler v. Hennepin County.
Read More »A Community Progress Report for Raton, New Mexico
This report outlines state and local policy and practice recommendations to tackle vacant and abandoned properties in Raton, NM.
Read More »Workshop Recommendations
Recommendations to make code enforcement more equitable, efficient, and effective in St. Louis, following a workshop.
Read More »