Month: July 2011

Cuyahoga County Land Bank is Successful!

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Two years ago, the Cuyahoga Couty Land Reutilization Corporation (CCLRC) was created.  The organization, also known as the Land Bank, is a non-profit corporation committed to community revitalization.  Since its inception, CCLRC strives to acquire abandoned properties and give them to communities for redevelopment or designate them for demolition, effectively combating the real estate speculation
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West Michigan Cities Work to Restore Homeownership

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Census data has revealed that the deep recession, plunging property values, and rising foreclosures have combined to intensify the rising vacancy rate in west Michigan.  Although plagued by property vacancies, west Michigan cities utilize many approaches to encourage homeownership in the area: The cities of Grand Rapids and of Wyoming and Kent county received $11 million
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EPA’s Superfund Green Remediation Strategy

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Since 1980, the Superfund Program has made considerable progress toward cleaning up contaminated sites and responding to emergencies involving hazardous substances. Green remediation is the practice of considering all environmental effects of remedy implementation and incorporating options to minimize the environmental footprints of cleanup actions. Green remediation strategies may help decrease the ecological footprint and
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Chicago Will Hold Banks Accountable

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Recently, the City Council of Chicago approved an ordinance that will hold lending institutions responsible for the maintenance of foreclosed properties. Prior to this move, community groups have been increasingly vocal, responding to rising crime rates in the past few months. According to residents, abandoned buildings become “crime havens” for squatters, gangs, and drug dealers,
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City of Newark, NJ – Owners of Vacant Properties Must Register with the City

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Beginning August 1 2011, the City of Newark, NJ will require owners of inhabitable vacant residential properties to register with the City and to maintain and secure vacant properties.  Under the recently-passed Vacant Property Ordinance, failure to do so will lead to fines and Municipal Court action. “Abandoned and neglected properties, if left unaddressed, can
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