City of Springfield Illinois recently utilized Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative Fellow Megan Willis-Jackson to provide an analysis of the city provide recommendations to address vacant and dilapidated housing, including recommended changes to; • InspectionREAD 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
Still on the Hamster Wheel…
Back in 2019, we blogged about the issue of antiquated policies that centered around required notifications being sent to known abandoned properties or even to a deceased individual. Independent of the waste of time andREAD MORE
Free Demolitions? Think Outside the Box
Demolitions, such a critical component of a blight mitigation strategy, often come with a hefty price tag. Creative approaches are often necessary. Previously we have discussed communities that have utilized the National Guard for theirREAD MORE
SB 60 signed by Florida Governor
SB 60 addressing the issue of anonymous code enforcement complaints has been signed by Governor DeSantis in Florida on June 29, 2021. Following is a summary of the bill by the Florida Senate Community AffairsREAD MORE
Two Sides of the Coin – Strict Permit Enforcement vs the “Local Rehabber”
A recent article discusses Michigan City’s (Indiana) challenge in permit requirement enforcement. “A crackdown on building permits could end up backfiring, the City Council was told” For more the full report from nwitimes.com, please clickREAD MORE
Rental Inspection Program Legal Challenge – Orange City IA
A lawsuit over whether municipalities have the authority to inspect rental homes without criminal cause is being waged in Orange City. Three residents and two landlords in the town of about 6,200 are suing theREAD MORE
GAO COVID-19 Housing Protections
In its most recent report on housing, the GAO analysis of the National Mortgage Database showed mortgage forbearance and other Federal efforts have reduced default and foreclosure risks. For more information, please click here. WhyREAD 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
Engage PGH – Pittsburgh’s Department of Permits, Licensing, and Inspection Interactive Website
The City of Pittsburgh’s Department of Permits, Licensing, and Inspection (PLI) wants community feedback about condemned properties. The department’s new interactive website provides information about structures and space to comment about their safety. The city’s own scoringREAD 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
Appellate Court Rules Keep Chicago Renting Ordinance is Preempted
On April 30, 2021, the First District Appellate Court struck down Chicago’s Protecting Tenants in Foreclosed Rental Properties Ordinance, better known as the Keep Chicago Renting Ordinance (“KCRO”) finding it is completely preempted by Illinois’READ MORE