Interesting interview by American University Radio discussing why abandoned homes exist, what problems they cause, and what communities can do to reclaim some of these spaces. Interview features Alan Mallach – senior fellow Center forREAD MORE
Washington Senate Bill 5060 Registration of Rental and Vacant Housing Units
In March 2022, we reported on Washington Senate SB 5825 that would require the department of commerce to convene a work group to make recommendations on the creation of a statewide rental and vacant propertyREAD MORE
Rental Inspections – The Successes and Challenges
A recent webinar, convened by Strategic Code Enforcement Management Academy (SCEMA) discussed how to leverage Health Impact Assessments’ program and policy recommendations with local leaders, nonprofits, and code officials. Additionally, representatives from Syracuse and RochesterREAD MORE
Scary Development? Frustration Boiling Over With Vacant Properties
The proliferation and associated dangers of fires at vacant properties are well documented. These fires are often attributed to squatters or homeless individual taking up residence. However, a new report from Flint MI asks aREAD MORE
“Zombie Debt” – Foreclosing on presumed “dead” Second Mortgages
Update January 17th, 2025 The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) new blog post discusses its effort to protect homeowners from “forgotten second mortgages” To view the blog post, please click here Update October 7th MassachusettsREAD MORE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution “Local governments outmatched by landlords of blighted apartment complexes”
In a thorough report, the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution focuses on the various challenges local governments face in dealing with negligent and often deep pocketed landlords. Included are concerns about lack of resources, lack of incentivesREAD MORE
Adjudicated Properties Attracting No Interest From Buyers
Your community may or may not have the same volume of these types of properties as New Orleans, but the following quote should apply across the board. “Foster said the city must come up withREAD MORE
Neighborhood Preservation Clinic – Law School can be a great resource if you have one!
The University of Memphis School of Law’s Neighborhood Preservation Clinic is filing 25 lawsuits on behalf of the Klondike-Smokey City Community Development Corporation. For more information on the Clinic please see below overview from theirREAD MORE
Challenge Averted in Kansas
SB510, introduced in February 2022 would “prohibit municipalities from imposing any fees or registration requirements on unoccupied residential or commercial property.” The legislation died in committee in May 2022. Please see below for a linkREAD MORE
Testing Public Nuisance Law
The Indiana Court of Appeals previously ruled that a law passed by the General Assembly prevented the city from using emergency calls as proof of a public nuisance. In order to use the calls asREAD MORE
“Zombie Foreclosures” & “Zombie Properties” Live on in Chicago
In July 2022, a local Chicago news station reported on “Zombie foreclosures stick former homeowners with major fines from city after bank doesn’t claim deed”. Now in a follow-up report in October 2022, examples ofREAD MORE
“The Benefit of Brownfields” – an in-depth analysis of $272mm in grant funding
New white paper by the Greater Ohio Policy Center examines over $270 million awarded through September 2022 allocated towards the clean up 115 sites and to support 74 assessments. “The anticipated end uses for theREAD MORE