In a decision, hailed as a win by the County, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear a case at the center of a longstanding legal fight over how Cuyahoga County handles the foreclosures ofREAD MORE
“Historic” legislation in Albany NY
Introduced by Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan and already supported by four members of Albany Common Council this legislation is designed to create the first “Good Cause” eviction law in New York State. Enforcement will beREAD MORE
Toledo Ohio and the Center For Community Progress
Representatives of the Center for Community Progress provided to City Council and Assessment and Report titled, A More Strategic, Equitable Approach to Housing and Building Code Enforcement in Ohio. The presentation was followed by a responseREAD MORE
GAO Reviews Covid-19 Housing Protections
The U.S. Government Accountability Office has provided an analysis of the benefits of Covid-19 moratoriums, showing how they have helped limit evictions; however, they recommend the implementation of a communication and outreach plan to makeREAD MORE
Study Determines Blight Remediation Impacts Firearm Violence in Urban Neighborhoods
A study published in The American Journal of Public Health illustrates an impact of blight that most would not consider. The study published in December of 2016 shows the direct correlation between blight and gun violenceREAD MORE
Federal Reserve, REO and Vacant Properties
The Federal Reserve published an article on REO and Vacant Properties, specifically strategies for neighborhood stabilization. Research and commentary were received by nonprofit and municipal practitioners, the Federal Reserve, academic and policy researchers as wellREAD MORE
Charting the Multiple Meanings of Blight
The Vacant Properties Research Network, A project of the Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech in collaboration with Econsult Solutions, Inc. produced a national literature review addressing the community impacts of blighted properties. In the hopesREAD MORE
LSU Study Blight Increases Public Health Risk from Mosquito-borne Diseases
In February 2019, a LSU’s Department of Sociology study showed a statistical connection between homicide, blighted buildings and convenience stores in Baton Rouge. Now in February 2021, LSU’s College of the Coast & Environment releasedREAD MORE
Texas Judge Finds National Eviction Ban Unconstitutional
A federal judge in Texas has ruled that the national ban on evictions that’s been in place since September is unconstitutional. “Although the Covid-19 pandemic persists, so does the Constitution,” U.S. District Judge John BarkerREAD MORE
Clean & Lien, Clean & Lien & Settle….. Now Clean & Lien & CAP
Pinellas County FL is making changes on its code enforcement liens, demolition/condemnation programs, assumingly as a result of the well-publicized, late 2019 $100,000+ fine for a dirty pool and overgrown grass in Dunedin. For additionalREAD MORE
Flexibility in Duluth, MN
The Duluth City Council has amended an ordinance in an attempt to jump-start repairs to abandoned housing throughout the community. The revised ordinance is intended to remove a financial obstacle for people looking to redevelopREAD MORE
State, County and Local Collaboration on Brownfield Mitigation
A new agreement in New York State, between state agencies and municipalities in Orleans and Niagara counties will promote the redevelopment of dozens of potentially contaminated properties in the two counties. The agreement allowsREAD MORE