The Center for Community Progress has released a new report titles “Reevaluating Code Enforcement: A New Approach to Addressing Problem Properties” advocating for shifting from traditional code enforcement to the more strategic approach of code compliance. Per the Center’sREAD MORE
Combatting Blight Through Pre-Permitted Housing Plans
A recent feature in Strong Towns discusses how Kalamazoo is utilizing Pre-Permitted Housing Plans to address blight. Following an innovative expansion upon a neighboring community’s concept of pre-approved plans they embarked on a proof ofREAD MORE
Landlord Engagement Lab Toolkit
A collaboration between National League of Cities and the Stanford Legal Design Lab has created an updated Landlord Engagement Lab Toolkit. “This toolkit includes a series of resources developed for city leaders interested in buildingREAD MORE
Tax Lien Sales or Tax Deed Sales
In the fall of 2023, the Center for Community Progress released a blog posting discussing the difficulties with tax lien sales and suggesting a better alternative, already implemented in a couple of New York communites.READ MORE
Blight Reduction to Address Gun Violence
We have previously provided studies (see below) demonstrating the connection between abandoned properties/blight and crime, specifically gun violence. Now a year after the most recent report, Philadelphia is implementing a pilot program that appears toREAD MORE
CCP The Resident’s Workbook for Dealing with Vacant Buildings and Lots
The Center for Community Progress has released its “Resident’s Workbook for Dealing with Vacant Buildings and Lots”. The workbook offers tools and worksheets including; Ideas for how to get involved in community revitalization whether you’reREAD MORE
Creative Partnerships – Tool Bank USA
A recent article discussing the challenges facing Birmingham AL also focused on an upcoming creative partnership. “Soon under a new city partnership will give churches, neighborhoods and other organizations access tools to get the jobREAD MORE
In-fill Housing – Getting Creative
A recent article discusses one community’s initiatives to “injecting new life into narrow, vacant lots brought about by blighted-structures removal”. Several approaches are referenced, including; the topic must remain a regular item on council meetingREAD MORE
Local Housing Solutions “Creating and Managing Vacant Property Inventories”
Local Housing Solutions issued a brief providing “information on common approaches to creating and managing vacant properties inventories, including how to fund these activities and identify sources of vacancy data.” Included in the brief “AREAD MORE
Coordinating the Authority and Resources to Remediate Blight
The Citizens Research Council of Michigan (not-for-profit public affairs research organization, founded in 1916) recently released a report titled, “Coordinating the Authority and Resources to Remediate Blight”. From the summary; In a nutshell The termREAD MORE
Public CEO Op-Ed “How to prevent dangerous properties and increase revenue” – Value of a VPRO
Following up on a January Op-Ed (by Ryan Griffith Bay Area Receivership Group) discussing the benefits of receiverships, MuniReg’s President Michael Halpern discusses the value of a “VPRO”. To view the Op-Ed, please click here.
“Padlock Laws” for Nuisance Properties
The New Orleans City Council voted to give the police chief authority to shut down nuisance businesses that could be contributing to the city’s crime crisis. The “padlock law provides for a business to beREAD MORE