In January 2015, VPR Network -in collaboration with Econsult Solutions- conducted a national literature review on the multiple meanings of blight titled “Charting the Multiple Meanings of Blight.” The effort was led by senior fellow Joseph Schilling and Dr. Katie Wells, with important contributions by research assistant Jimena Pinzon and Econsult special consultant John Kromer, former housing director for then-Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell, from the Fels Institute at the University of Pennsylvania. Building on VPR Network’s existing e-library and knowledge of the blight and urban regeneration field, the research team combed the Internet and academic databases for journal articles and practitioner reports on the economic, environmental, social, and legal and policy dimensions of blight. The purpose of this report is to help Keep America Beautiful and its affiliates gain a better understanding of the contemporary and historical dimensions of blight as they continue their regional and local programs to improve the quality of life in communities throughout the nation and assist Econsult Solutions with the development of a Blight Cost Calculator.
A Typology of Blight’s Multiple Dimensions and Characteristics (Schilling et al. 2015)
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