Interesting article from the other side of the world pertaining to property rights when addressing vacant property. Article also includes a video interview with Australian property law expert Professor Cathy Sherry from Macquarie University. ArticleREAD MORE
Volunteer Code Enforcement Officer
A recent article details one man’s offer to fill a municipal code enforcement position “free of charge in the absence of a full-time officer”. MuniReg provides free resources and valuable time saving information to localREAD MORE
Solar arrays as a blight solution
Detroit MI Mayor Mike Duggan announced a new initiative to address blight by installing solar arrays in 3 residential neighborhoods. Mayor’s Press Release includes an overview, the land acquisition process and home improvement community benefitsREAD MORE
PA Local Government Commission “Property Maintenance Code Enforcement Report”
The Local Government Commission of Pennsylvania General Assembly, a bicameral and bipartisan legislative agency released a new report titled “Property Maintenance Code Enforcement Report” Contributions to the report came from Pennsylvania Statewide Blight Task ForceREAD MORE
Lawyers to the rescue?
A recent interview on the Talk Justice podcast titled “Lawyers Can Help Revitalize Neighborhoods” discusses the St Louis Neighborhood Advocacy Program and its successes in tackling the legal problems that create lingering neighborhood blight. ToREAD MORE
Georgia HB 1017 Georgia Squatter Reform Act
In late April, HB 1017 referred to as the Georgia Squatter Reform Act was signed by Governor Kemp. Per the Bill’s sponsor, “the legislation would fix antiquated laws protecting squatters. Without the bill, it isREAD MORE
Creativity from Down Under
A recent release from Australia’s Dept. of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety, announces a new $5 million “Vacant Property Rental Incentive Scheme” designed to to convert vacant properties into long-term rental homes. This newREAD MORE
Movement in Baltimore
With the passing of HB 2, Baltimore officials are hopeful they have another strong tool in their toolbox. As a community that has long struggled with vacancy and blight, I am hopeful too. However, IREAD MORE
Neighborhood Revitalization and Land Banking Act
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
Local Pennsylvania Media Op-Eds Focus on Blight
Two recent op-eds in local newspapers address the issue of blight though coming from differing angles. The Times News piece, uses a problem property for the past 30 years as an impetus to call forREAD MORE