Urban Institute’s new report “A Perfect Storm of Rising Costs Threatens America’s Housing Market” highlights how surging insurance premiums, property taxes etc. are driving up homeownership costs and destabilizing affordability. Using Harris County, Texas, asREAD MORE
Wearing Two Hats
In a recent PA Times article for the American Society for Public Administration, titled “Enforcement versus Education: Two Hats – One Mission” Thomas E. Poulin, PhD, emphasizes that effective code enforcement requires wearing two hats:READ MORE
Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC) “Why Cities and Towns Should Consider Developing Rental Housing Registries”
A recent MRSC article explains that rental registries give Washington cities a way to track rental housing, ensure compliance, and improve safety by requiring landlords to register their properties, often alongside inspections or business licensing.READ MORE
“More Carrot Than Stick”
A new ordinance in Anchorage AK is described as “more carrot than stick”. The ordinance grants a 10‑year property tax abatement for vacant or abandoned residential buildings (built in 1995 or earlier and listed onREAD MORE
Illinois House Bill 1842 Muni-code Admin Adjudication
Illinois House Bill 1842 was recently signed into law. According to the sponsor’s press release: “This legislation ensures local governments have the tools they need to uphold local code while also protecting the rights ofREAD MORE
“Following the Fire: Analysis of 2024 Vacant Structure Fires”
The City of Syracuse’s latest audit, “Following the Fire: Analysis of 2024 Vacant Structure Fires,” (link) sheds important light on the connection between vacant properties and public safety. According to the report: Nearly 30% ofREAD MORE
Revitalizing Empty Structures Into Desirable Environments (RESIDE) Act
Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.) introduced the Revitalizing Empty Structures Into Desirable Environments (RESIDE) Act with Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.). This bill would set aside funding within the Home Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) starting in 2026READ MORE
“A” for Creativity! Raffle to win a city home!
In a bold move to tackle urban decay, Watertown, NY, is exploring a novel approach to combat blight: raffling off city-owned homes. Targeting mid‑score houses (rated between 40–70 on their condition scale), renovating one, thenREAD MORE
Leveraging code enforcement units to reduce crime: A difference-in-difference analysis of a targeted crime prevention intervention
In the face of rising crime and ongoing police staffing shortages, a new study published in the Journal of Criminal Justice highlights the potential of code enforcement as a cost-effective crime prevention tool. Authored byREAD MORE
Blight Mitigation Revolving Funds
Two states have recently undertaken efforts to implement a “revolving fund” to spur property rehabilitation. Mississippi Approved by the Governor in April 2025, House Bill 733, created the “Property Cleanup Revolving Fund.” It authorizes theREAD MORE
Code enforcement still in focus!
In a recent op-ed (link), Walter Williams, EDFP City of Racine City Development, Director and President Racine- NAACP, argues that building and property code enforcement is a powerful, yet overlooked, tool in combating inner‑city crimeREAD MORE
National Housing Crisis Task Force
In July 2024, the Nowak Metro Finance Lab at Drexel University and Accelerator for America launched the National Housing Crisis Task Force (link). The Task Force was created to tackle “the breadth and depth ofREAD MORE