What a great way to mobilize the community! Click here for an article from the Oakland Press promoting the initiative. The best part is the clear webpage created by the Township outlining the program includingREAD MORE
Resident Officer Program
A recent report from the Peoria Journal Star discusses their resident officer program. “The officers are located in strategic areas around the city. They work from their city-owned homes to establish close connections with theREAD MORE
GOPC Report “Misconceptions About Vacant Property Registries” – an Analysis
In September of 2018 the Greater Ohio Policy Center issued a report “Misconceptions About Vacant Property Registries”. The report provides an overview of Vacant Property Registration Ordinances along with guidance for communities seeking to implement theREAD MORE
Short-term rentals, still murky as ever; and a blast from the past!
In an attempt to further get my arms around this issue I’m seeing more and more contradictions and disparity. Yet one similarity to the VPR space gave me a major flashback. Take this report fromREAD MORE
It Started Out So Well……….
An interesting article that discusses a logical and positive approach to addressing the universal concern of squatters, ends by discussing troubling legislation being proposed in the Hawaii Legislature. From the preamble in the legislation oneREAD MORE
Don’t Take on Unnecessary Risks
Perhaps I’m missing something but the recent enactment in Windber, PA of a rental registry struck me as odd. Rental registration ordinances are commonplace throughout the country. For the most part the programs and requiredREAD MORE
NJ A-5005 Is this really the issue? The solution?
On February 7th, A-5005 was introduced in the New Jersey Legislature by Assembly Democrats John Armato, Carol Murphy and Benjie Wimberly. Following is the summary of the proposed bill. Is this the issue regarding zombieREAD MORE
NYS Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli Report “Foreclosure Update: Signs of Progress”
Mortgage foreclosure filings across New York state dropped 46 percent between 2013 and 2018 according to a report issued by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, titled, “Foreclosure Update: Signs of Progress” Interestingly, local communitiesREAD MORE
Canton OH Commercial Property Registration Challenges
A recent article discusses the challenges Canton is facing garnering compliance with their commercial property registration ordinance. Eerily similar to an earlier article regarding San Francisco. See following quotes. Canton – “However, several vacant buildingsREAD MORE
Getting off the Hamster Wheel
True story. Several years ago, I was invited to present to the City Council and heads of the fire, police and building departments for a larger (200,000+) city on “zombie foreclosures” etc. First to arriveREAD MORE
Community Engagement in Jamestown NY
Sometimes simplicity is all that is needed. No need to over complicate matters. Jamestown NY has a clear section on its homepage to allow constituents to report a vacant property. For communities that may notREAD MORE
Oswego NY Blight Reduction Loan Program
In a positive step another local government is utilizing the tax rolls to address blight in their community. After years of hearing the frustration over “clean and lien” programs (both having to “clean” and thenREAD MORE