City of Tuscaloosa & The University of Alabama-Culverhouse College of Commerce & Business Admin have developed a new patent-pending camera-based system to streamline the battle against deteriorating properties. This system involves cameras mounted on cityREAD MORE
Creative Strategies for Increasing Commercial Vacancies
Two communities recently announced specific strategies to address an increase in commercial vacancies. Brookhaven NY “Floating Zones” The redevelopment districts are what planning officials call a “floating zone” that can be superimposed on a specificREAD MORE
Capturing Insurance Proceeds to Prevent Property Abandonment
Macon-Bibb (GA) commissioners will consider a new resolution to combat blight in their community. The purpose of the resolution is “to request state legislation or administrative action to allow local governments to capture insurance proceedsREAD MORE
Residential Renovation Incentive Program
The City of Denison recently publicized a new program. This is not “just a one and done” incentive, but a comprehensive program with various incentives along the way. Having the program is the main victoryREAD MORE
Operation/Project Round Up as a Blight Fight Tool
Operation/Project Round Up is a charitable program that is offered by many utility and electric companies across the country with a voluntary signup. Customers agree to have their utility bill “rounded up” to the nextREAD MORE
Written in 1939? Time for an update! Illinois Scavenger Sale
A recent article from LoopNorth discusses a study by Cook County (IL) Treasurer Maria Pappas on the Land Bank’s Scavenger Sale program. “Pappas urged the Illinois General Assembly, which originally authorized the Scavenger Sale back in 1939, toREAD MORE
Carrot then the Stick – Payments & Rebates for Voluntary Compliance
A recent article featured an initiative in Gunnison CO “to create a positive, collaborative relationship with property owners in hopes that enforcement could be avoided.” Program included an initial financial allocation for possible incentives includingREAD MORE
Connecting the Dots
MuniReg has advocated registries as a tool not just to address blight but also to prevent future occurrences. A recent report on a collaboration between Hudson County executives and The Waterfront Project, Inc. shines aREAD MORE
Center for Community Progress’ 2020 VAD Academy Resource Page
Vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties plague communities of all sizes across the United States. Whether spurred by natural disasters or industry loss, these properties create compound challenges for residents and local governments. When working toREAD MORE
Owner’s Names – To Disclose or Not? New Method……QR Codes
In two recently published articles we find contrasting approaches two large cities are taking regarding making the owner information to the general public. Baltimore, that is taking the approach of being more transparent intends toREAD MORE
Revitalization in Michigan – A Guide to Transforming Vacant, Abandoned, and Deteriorated Properties through Code Enforcement
Authored by Payton A. Heins, Associate Director of Michigan Initiatives and Matt Kreis, General Counsel, this new resource “breaks down nine leading code enforcement tools that help fight vacancy through traditional enforcement, proactive regulation, andREAD MORE
Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies HUD Regulations and Procedures Concerning Mortgages Near Foreclosure/End-stage Default
Rachel Bratt, a Senior Research Fellow at the Joint Center for Housing Studies and former visiting scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, authored several Issue Briefs, offering insights about HUD’s regulations and proceduresREAD MORE
