Zombie Neigborhoods: Searching for a Cure

Many of America’s Rustbelt and Sunbelt communities have experienced rising vacancy and abandoned homes or properties beyond just one or two, sprinkled throughout the urban landscape, but recently in terms of entire neighborhoods. The effects of urban decline on these cities has brought new urgency to practitioners and researchers alike. Although anthropomorphism and dramatic terminology has the
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Preventing Vacancy & Deterioration

A new report from the National League of Cities (NLC) scans the latest solutions and practices of local cities and leaders in dealing with helping communities deal with effects of the foreclosure crisis, including preventing vacancies and further deteriatoration, encouraging rehabilitation and reuse and demolition where appropriate. The report includes a review of national initiatives and
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The Successful Use of Vanguard Developers & Placemaking in CiTs

        Roanoke, once the thriving rail hub, would now be considered a medium sized legacy in terms of the Cities in Transition (CiT) typology (Cities in Transition: Guide for Practicing Planners, 2012). Experiencing both a decline in jobs and population from its peaks in the 1980’s it has seen challenges to it’s social
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