The Center For Community Progress Blog

In March, Groundwork USA came out with a report that extracted lessons from a decade of their local Trusts’ experiences, hoping that it could help others build on their successful model and advance policies to support equitable land regeneration in the nation’s distressed communities. Here, Kate O’Brien, Groundwork USA’s Director of Outreach and Network Development,…

Kevyn Orr officially assumed the role of Detroit’s emergency manager last week and with it the monumental task of restructuring one of America’s great cities. Much has been written about Detroit’s financial problems of late, and they are truly staggering. At the same time, the city suffers from numerous related problems concerning public safety, basic…

Housing, finance, real estate, policy, and economic development groups are buzzing about the passage of the Cook County Land Bank ordinance that effectually creates a countywide land bank. Whenever new strategies and policies initiate, valid questions arise, such as how will this benefit my neighborhood, what are the unique advantages of this approach, and what…

With the 7th Annual Land Bank Conference just a few short days away, we are looking forward to the many breakout sessions, mobile workshops and training workshops that will be offered. We asked five of our staff members to answer the question: What session are you most looking forward to at the conference? Read below…

It’s been a couple of weeks since I returned from New Orleans and this year’s Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference, which we titled, “Remaking America for the 21st Century.” In that time, I’ve been reflecting on what an audacious title that was for us to put forward and how pleased and proud I am to say…

When we launched the Center for Community Progress in January of 2010, our goal was to become a potent source of information, tools and support for communities and cities fighting to prevent abandonment or to create strategies for productive reuse of vacant, abandoned and distressed property. Building on that vision, over the past two years…

Back in March, a team of municipal and community leaders from New Jersey were fortunate enough to participate in Community Progress’ Leadership Institute in Cambridge. While representatives from Jersey City, Orange, Irvington, Newark, and Millville were able to take part in this great learning experience, there was also tremendous interest from leaders from a number…

Definition of blorft: An adjective made up by the actress, author, producer, Renaissance woman, Tina Fey, meaning “completely overwhelmed but proceeding as if everything is fine and reacting to the stress with the torpor of a possum.” Only a few weeks on the job here at the Center for Community Progress and I am constantly…

As Director of Community Progress’ New Orleans Vacant Properties Initiative, I am particularly thrilled to announce the location of our fourth national Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference in 2012. It’s New Orleans! The theme for next year’s conference is “Remaking America for the 21st Century.” New Orleans, of course, is a perfect setting in which to…

A suit just filed by Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich is charging Deutsche Bank with creating a public nuisance in allowing vacant, foreclosed properties to fall into such disrepair that they are blighting city neighborhoods. At Community Progress, we will, of course, be watching this case as it makes its way through the courts. …