The Citizens Research Council of Michigan (not-for-profit public affairs research organization, founded in 1916) recently released a report titled, “Coordinating the Authority and Resources to Remediate Blight”.
From the summary;
In a nutshell
- The term blight is used to describe properties that are marked by a demonstrated pattern of deterioration in physical, economic, or social conditions. Blight can exist in urban, suburban, and rural communities, but each community’s response to the problem will be different.
- Blight prevention and remediation generally is a public good that benefits the entire community and, especially, neighboring residences and businesses. Local governments are tasked with managing blight within their boundaries; their efforts are supported by state laws and programs, as well as federal funds and programs
- Possible solutions to more effective blight prevention and management include taking a more regional approach to anti-blight policies; greater collaboration among counties, local governments, and the private sector; increasing community buy-in and support; and, where appropriate, providing local governments with more diverse funding streams to provide the resources needed.
To view the summary and the full report, please click here.