Tackling Vacant Land and Abandoned Properties

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Tackling Vacant Land and Abandoned Properties

• Lisa Mueller
• Local Initiatives Support Corporation
• American Planning Association
• April 1, 2003

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Local Initiatives Support Corporation

• LISC supports community development
• corporations (CDCs) efforts to create
• affordable housing commercial, industrial,
• and community facilities businesses and jobs
• by providing
• Funding for operations
• Real estate development financing
• Technical expertise
• Training and information

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Barriers to Reclaiming Vacant Properties

• Economic Barriers
• Legal Barriers
• Political and Systems Barriers

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LISC Resources

• Local Technical Assistance
• Help build relationships to improve coordination
  of local strategies
• Assist nonprofits to assess and better utilize
  existing systems
• Assist local governments to implement new tools
  and strategies

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LISC Resources - TA

• 1. Help build relationships among local
  stakeholders to improve coordination of vacant
  land strategies
• Example Richmond, VA Neighborhoods In
• Bloom Initiative
• (www.icma.org)

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LISC Resources - TA

• 2. Assist nonprofits to assess and better
  utilize municipal property acquisition and
  disposition systems
• Example Boston Citizens Housing and
• Planning Association study
• (chapa.org/resources_publications.htm)
•  

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LISC Resources - TA

• 3. Assist local governments to implement new,
  more efficient vacant property revitalization
  tools and strategies
• Examples
• Flint, Michigan Genesee County Land
  Reutilization Council
• New York City Third Party Transfer Initiative
  and Neighborhood Restore
• (www.liscnet.org/resources)

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LISC Resources

• Information Resources
• Public Assets Network connects people to
  information and experts
• Publications and case studies share model
  practices
• LISC Online Resource Library www.liscnet.org/res
  ources

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New OpportunitiesNational Vacant Property
Campaign

• As a Campaign Co-Sponsor, LISC will
• Provide national leadership to raise awareness
  and help to build coalitions of stakeholders
• Continue to provide tools and technical
  assistance to localities

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Reclaiming Land Reclaiming Communities
Thank You!
Lisa Mueller Local Initiatives Support Corporation