MuniReg President Michael Halpern was privileged to conduct a webinar titled “How to Combat Vacant Property Blight with VPROs”. In this webinar, Halpern provided an overview of the evolution of “Vacant Property Registration” ordinances, howREAD MORE
Continuing Educational Resources
Continuing Educational Resources Often state-specific presentation, though directed to a specific audience, provide additional insight and solutions into what are common concerns or issues. West Virginia University “BAD (Brownfield, Abandoned, Dilapidated) Buildings Program” is continuingREAD MORE
Money Well Spent – Land Banks
A recent study by Youngstown State University Williamson College of Business demonstrates a solid ROI. $21 million utilized to demolish abandoned homes, rehabilitate others and spruce up abandoned lots across Mahoning County (Ohio) returned $33.2READ MORE
SACA “Using Vacant Property Registration Ordinances”
The Standards and Codes Academy hosted an webinar with MuniReg President Michael Halpern presenting on the topic of vacant property registries. In addition to the overall discussion of what is a “VPRO” and what itREAD MORE
The Power to Stabilize Neighborhoods
In a new study, Karen Black with May 8 Consulting Research “summarizes the existing research about the effectiveness of certain policy interventions to help stabilize low- and moderate-income neighborhoods after a macroeconomic shock. This documentREAD MORE
Department of Justice Guide “Addressing Foreclosed and Abandoned Properties”
This Department of Justice guide :offers ideas to help policymakers, law enforcement agencies, and community partners address the challenges presented by foreclosed and abandoned properties” Included in the guidance was the recommendation to “launch aREAD MORE
Nelson A. Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth College Study on Short-Term Rental Units
“Class of 1964 Policy Research Shop” (PRS) students produce non-partisan policy analyses and present their findings in a non-advocacy manner. PRS is fully endowed by the Dartmouth Class of 1964. This endowment ensures that theREAD MORE
Study Determines Blight Remediation Impacts Firearm Violence in Urban Neighborhoods
A study published in The American Journal of Public Health illustrates an impact of blight that most would not consider. The study published in December of 2016 shows the direct correlation between blight and gun violenceREAD MORE
Federal Reserve, REO and Vacant Properties
The Federal Reserve published an article on REO and Vacant Properties, specifically strategies for neighborhood stabilization. Research and commentary were received by nonprofit and municipal practitioners, the Federal Reserve, academic and policy researchers as wellREAD MORE
Charting the Multiple Meanings of Blight
The Vacant Properties Research Network, A project of the Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech in collaboration with Econsult Solutions, Inc. produced a national literature review addressing the community impacts of blighted properties. In the hopesREAD MORE
LSU Study Blight Increases Public Health Risk from Mosquito-borne Diseases
In February 2019, a LSU’s Department of Sociology study showed a statistical connection between homicide, blighted buildings and convenience stores in Baton Rouge. Now in February 2021, LSU’s College of the Coast & Environment releasedREAD MORE
GAO Report on “Zombie Foreclosures”
On March 5th, 2021 the US Government Accountability Office released a report titled, “Home Foreclosures Sales: FHA, Rural Housing Service, and VA Could Better Align Program Metrics with Their Missions” Why GAO Did This StudyREAD MORE