U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced the Neighborhood Revitalization and Land Banking Act to help public land banks acquire blighted properties. The Neighborhood Revitalization and Land Banking Act would: SupportREAD MORE
North Carolina Supreme Court Case Challenging Blight Mitigation Efforts
A recent report from WRAL discusses a North Carolina Supreme Court case about “whether racism has influenced Kinston leaders’ foreclosure efforts could have implications for the power of local governments across the state.” So farREAD MORE
Community Highlight: Las Cruces, NM Common Sense Approach to Sharing Vacant Property Information
MuniReg has never been a proponent of “advertising vacancy“. For severely dilapidated properties, that are clearly abandoned, posting for example a “Red X” doesn’t bring unwarranted attention. Other approaches, such as placards on the doorREAD MORE
Community Highlight: Aroostook County ME Assists Local Governments with Demolition Costs
A headline like this “Aroostook County landfill cuts towns a break on blighted buildings” shouldn’t be newsworthy, as collaboration between all levels of government should be the norm. However as it appears to not beREAD MORE
Community Highlight: Memphis TN Neighborhood Preservation Clinic
Previously reported in November 2022, The University of Memphis School of Law’s Neighborhood Preservation Clinic represents the City of Memphis in public nuisance lawsuits seeking recourse against the owners of badly neglected, vacant and abandonedREAD MORE
Community Highlight: Toledo OH Neighborhood Associations Website/Map
In a full length feature, WTVG discussed various efforts underway in Toledo to address blight. Community engagement is a critical component of any successful strategy. What we hope to be an ongoing feature highlighting uniqueREAD MORE
Colorado Lawmakers Target HOAs
Originally reported on in May 2022, Colorado homeowners were experiencing what was reported as “predatory” behavior, such as aggressive code violation enforcement and penalties, along with foreclosure. Now in a feature from the Denver Post:READ MORE
Questioning Enforcement of Eviction Policy
One local Mayor is questioning his community’s current eviction policy that may discriminate against renters, while homeowners exhibiting similar problems do not get the same treatment. As communities struggle with finding the proper balance inREAD MORE
New York State Keeps the Focus on Zombie Properties
State Senator Brian Kavanagh, Chair of the Senate Committee on Housing, Construction and Community Development, announced that the Senate Housing Committee convened its first meeting of the new legislative session and advanced several significant billsREAD MORE
St Louis Post Dispatch Op-Ed: Taking Matters into One’s Own Hands “Ruling on McKee nuisance property should prompt more neighbors to sue”
A recent editorial discusses a ruling by St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Michael Stelzer in favor of a neighborhood association in its nuisance suit with a prominent local investor. The article advocates for neighbors ofREAD 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
Florida Bill Going After Squatters
Following a story that received national exposure, State Representative Kevin Steele has introduced House Bill 621 in order to “close a legal loophole” protecting landlords from squatters and “adverse possession” “Steele’s bill would not onlyREAD MORE