RECLAIMING VACANT PROPERTIEs
In June 2009, NVPC held our second national conference in Louisville, Kentucky. Below, find the session descriptions and speaker presentations from the conference.
If you're interested in the presentations from Reclaiming Vacant Properties 2007 Conference, you can download them here.
Session Presentations
You may notice small discrepancies in the look of some presentations. These are uncontrollable due to PC/Mac formatting differences. No substantive changes in any of the presentations have been made.
TRAINING SESSIONS
A. Working with Vacant Property Data
Consider this your how-to primer on working with vacant property data. Examine the relevance and implications of undeliverable addresses released quarterly by the U.S. Postal Service and HUD; discuss key considerations for constructing a local data information system; and explore the value of existing public records and outreach and engagement for on-the-ground vacancy surveys.
- Anthony Armstrong, Local Initiatives Support Corporation Buffalo (19.3 mb PDF)
- John Kromer, Fels Institute of Government, University of Pennsylvania
- Michael Schramm, Mandel School of Applied and Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University (2.9 mb PDF)
- Francisca Winston, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (2.1 mb PDF)
B. The Philadelphia Story: The Impact of PHS' Vacant Land Management Program (6.5 mb PDF)
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, in partnership with the City of Philadelphia, created a collaborative, community-based model for managing blighted vacant lots at a citywide scale. In five years, the project has expanded signifi cantly. The city invested more than $15 million in this effort; 8,000 vacant lots are being managed; more than 3,000 trees have been planted; 15 community-based organizations are participating in maintenance activities; and more than 100 residents have been employed. This seminar will focus on the ever-expanding positive impact of this vacant land management model on neighborhood crime, real estate values, environmental quality, and overall community development.
- Dr. Charles C. Branas, University of Pennsylvania
- Blaine Bonham, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
- Bob Grossmann, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
- Deborah McColloch, City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
C. Foreclosure and Land Banking: The Bigger Picture
Daily reminders – whether through the media or a walk around our neighborhoods – highlight the dire consequences that mounting foreclosures and the accelerating housing crisis are having on our communities. As vacant homes drag down property values, increase blight, and shrink tax bases, revitalization efforts are stalled across the country. For many cities and regions this is a new challenge, but for others, this new crisis compounds longer-term disinvestment. This seminar will walk you through cutting-edge strategies to link property acquisition, including through tax foreclosure, with inventory management and disposition. You will learn about land bank models used in various markets, the basics of formation, execution of programming, real estate development, working within the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, and much more.
- Frank Alexander, Emory Law School
- Amy Hovey, The Protogenia Group and Genesee County Land Bank Authority
- Daniel T. Kildee, Genesee Institute; Jennifer Rigterink, Genesee Institute
D. Beyond the Neighborhood Stabilization Program
As cities and states start to implement their Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) action plans, it’s important for communities to think strategically by linking foreclosure prevention with planning, code enforcement, acquisition (not just of bank-owned properties), inventory management, rehabilitation, and reuse. Join with others navigating the challenges of this work and learn how to create a holistic strategy.
- Jane DeMarines, NACEDA (5.0 mb PDF)
- Frank Ford, Neighborhood Progress, Inc.
- Sarah Greenberg, NeighborWorks® America (13.5 mb PDF)
- Cynthia Langlykke, CommunityWorks Rhode Island
- Alan Mallach, Metropolitan Policy Program, The Brookings Institution (1.6 mb PDF)
- Marcia Nedland, Fall Creek Consultants
- Harold Simon, National Housing Institute and Community Asset Preservation Corporation of New Jersey
E. Building a State Vacant Properties Campaign
While change at the local level is important for vacant property issues, state policies can either act as a major hindrance or help reclamation and redevelopment. Coalitions in states like Ohio and New Jersey pushed for and eventually won major vacant property reforms at the state level. This session will focus on the types of state policies that can bolster vacant property reclamation, and offer advice on building a campaign in your state. By examining successful state vacant property campaigns in Ohio, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, this session will include advice on how to analyze existing conditions in your state, build a coalition, develop a political strategy, and conduct the research, media work, and other tactical approaches necessary to win.
- Lavea Brachman, Greater Ohio
- Liz Hersh, Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania
- Julie Seward, Local Initiatives Support Corporation
- Diane Sterner, Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey
F. Code Enforcement Diagnostics: Resolving Complex Code Enforcement Cases
At a time when many code enforcement programs are undergoing serious reductions in budgets and staffing, the often-forgotten fi rst responders – code enforcement managers, attorneys, and inspectors – could use some help as they tackle mounting inventories of vacant, foreclosed, and abandoned homes. Bring your special code enforcement cases and policy challenges to this interactive session as a panel of the leading code enforcement managers, attorneys, judges, and experts offer their insights, guidance, and recommendations. No PowerPoints permitted, just discussion, dialogue, and collaborative problem solving. See what these code enforcement “doctors” can prescribe for you, your program, and your community.
- Michael Braverman, Baltimore Department of Housing and Community Development (1.9 mb PDF)
- Edward P. Cunningham, City of Cincinatti, Ohio, Department of Community Development (80 kb PDF)
- Doug Leeper, City of Chula Vista, California
- Joseph Schilling, Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech
- Bill Schreck, Louisville Metro Government
MORNING PLENARY
Moving Beyond Foreclosures
With passage of the federal 2008 Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) and its enhancements in the 2009 economic stimulus package, communities across the country are undertaking activities aimed at reducing the harmful effects foreclosed and vacant properties have on neighborhoods. Beyond the law’s technical regulations and eligible strategies, is the need for a longer-term view that builds local capacity and ensures the investments made now are creating the right partnerships that will reform local systems to prevent and reuse vacant properties beyond foreclosures. By all accounts our foreclosure crisis will be with us for years to come, so communities need the capacity beyond NSP’s 18-month horizon. Join national and local experts as they present a framework for understanding the complexities of foreclosures nationwide, the impacts on neighborhoods, and the range of responses.
- Frank Alexander, Emory Law School (moderator) (1.6 mb PDF)
- Anika Goss Foster, Local Initiatives Support Corporation
- Daniel T. Kildee, Genesee Institute
- Alan Mallach, Metropolitan Policy Program, The Brookings Institution (5.0 mb PDF)
CONCURRENT SESSIONS 1
A. Brownfields Sustainability Pilots
Green roofs in Boston, demolition materials recycling in Cleveland and Alabama, sustainable site designs in Burlington and Lynchburg, solar power on a Houston landfill, a rooftop garden at an Oklahoma City community center, green buildings in Missouri and South Carolina, green job training in Portland—In all, 16 brownfield sites will benefit from pilot efforts in sustainable cleanup and reuse by the EPA Brownfields Program. The initiative responds to community requests for help in making local revitalization projects greener and more sustainable. Hear about the pilots and ways to make your vacant property project greener and more sustainable.
- Jim Jones, Valley, Alabama Community Development Corporation (17.0 mb PDF)
- Sven-Erik Kaiser, U.S. EPA Brownfields Program (11.8 mb PDF)
- Michael B. Taylor, Vita Nuova (7.7 mb PDF)
B. Building Strategic Alliances
Strategic alliances of non-profits, for profits, universities, government, and many other stakeholders, allow organizations to leverage resources to better address complex problems. Coordination allows for issues to be addressed at myriad levels and for work to be coordinated. The session will present information about how their strategic alliances have helped to build support around the issues integral to their work. Information about how to build strategic alliances and how partners can coordinate to identify leaders and implement programs will be presented.
- Frank Ford, Neighborhood Progress, Inc.
- Malika Heath, Detroit Vacant Property Campaign/Community Legal Resources
- Lauren Heberle, University of Louisville
- Deborah L. Younger, Local Initiatives Support Corporation Detroit
C. Moving Forward, Grounded in Research
What do we know from research and practice about vacant property prevention and reclamation? How can this research be used to determine where best to go from here? This session will attempt to answer these questions, highlighting how past and current research has shaped the action agendas of practitioners and policy makers. Speakers with a wide range of academic and practical experience will draw on their own research to identify the knowledge gaps that impede effective interventions. Participants will be invited to pinpoint needed research and to set out a road map for guiding future public policy to prevent foreclosures and to return vacant land and property to productive use.
- Claudia Coulton, Case Western Reserve University (6.2 mb PDF)
- Dan Immergluck, Georgia Institute of Technology (3.0 mb PDF)
- Josiah Madar, Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy (1.2 mb PDF)
- Mary Helen Petrus, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland
D. Vacant Property Data Systems and Resources
Learn about vacant property data resources and best practices in data systems development from professionals working at national, regional, and citywide scales. Explore local and national resources available to your community and hear what others have done to develop partnerships to measure, analyze, and respond to indicators of existing and potential vacancies.
- Anthony Armstrong, Local Initiatives Support Corporation Buffalo
- John Kromer, Fels Institute of Government, University of Pennsylvania (9.4 mb PDF)
- Michael Schramm, Mandel School of Applied and Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University (4.5 mb PDF)
- Chris Walker, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (1.4 mb PDF)
E. Tools and Strategies for Successful Code Enforcement in a Challenging Environment
Vacancy and abandonment rates are on the rise during these difficult economic times. Property maintenance budgets are bound to fall. Compounded by government’s fiscal constraints, these factors will have significant impacts on neighborhoods. An efficient, effective, and strategic code enforcement operation to respond to vacant properties is more important than ever. Join this session to hear how to master the fundamentals of code enforcement, build a team and create shared commitment to the mission of code enforcement, and manage data effectively. Learn how to develop and use a code enforcement toolkit to address vacant properties, and gain tips for establishing effective partnerships.
- Michael Braverman, Baltimore Department of Housing and Community Development (6.5 mb PDF)
- Julie Day, Baltimore Department of Housing and Community Development (60 kb PDF)
- Bill Schreck, Louisville Metro Government (2.8 mb PDF)
F. Bringing New Life to Abandoned Properties: Creative Deployment of Public Sector Financing Tools
How can vacant property reuse projects be financed in these challenging times? This session delves into the nuances of project financing, and offers basic lessons and strategies on using a range of federal programs and local initiatives to meet financing requirements, forging new public-private partnerships that link funding sources to project needs, and identifying funding combinations and approaches that make projects economically viable. Find out how critical tax incentive programs – related to historic preservation, New Market Tax Credits, energy efficiency, low-income housing, and property cleanup – can provide critical solutions to a project’s financing puzzle.
- Charlie Bartsch, ICF International (12.4 mb PDF)
- Peter Meyer, University of Louisville (204 kb PDF)
- Joseph Ott, Cleveland Federal Reserve (9.0 mb PDF)
CONCURRENT SESSIONS 2
A. Cleveland and Pittsburgh’s Sustainable Reuse of Vacant Land
While they have a ferocious football rivalry, Cleveland and Pittsburgh are fi nding common ground in the ways they are proactively addressing their growing inventories of vacant land. The ReImagining A More Sustainable Cleveland Vacant Land Study provides recommendations on productive and sustainable reuses of vacant land that are being piloted in neighborhoods. Pittsburgh’s mayor has initiated two approaches to enhance neighborhoods: Right-Sizing for Pittsburgh, targeting investments based on a market value analysis; and Green Up Pittsburgh, which seeks to stabilize city-owned vacant lots and make the city greener. At the same time, GTECH Strategies is producing bio-fuel crops on former industrial sites and vacant lots in Pittsburgh neighborhoods while creating opportunities for youth employment and neighborhood community building.
- Andrew Butcher, Growth Through Energy & Community Health (GTECH) (1.6 mb PDF)
- Freddy Collier, Cleveland Planning Commission (865 kb PDF)
- Kim Graziani, City of Pittsburgh (1.8 mb PDF)
- Bobby Reichtell, Neighborhood Progress, Inc. (1.6 mb PDF)
- Terry Schwarz, Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative, Kent State University (1.6 mb PDF)
B. Redeveloping Sustainable Communities: The Nexus of Race, Class, and Credit
The unfolding credit crisis is impeding sustainable redevelopment in distressed low-income
communities, where populations are disproportionately people of color. The crisis further exacerbates tight credit, which already stymies redevelopment of vacant and contaminated properties in these neighborhoods. This session engages the audience in examining the credit crisis, the race and class underpinnings of credit disparities, strategic solutions, and needed federal policies and reforms. The panelists, renowned thought leaders in their fields, will unpack credit myths and share perspectives on ways to catalyze redevelopment in all communities, including undercapitalized ones, through lending and underwriting, innovative strategies, and policy approaches.
- Deeohn Ferris, Sustainable Community Development Group, Inc.
- Joseph J. James, Corporation for Economic Recovery
- john a. powell, Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity (35 kb PDF)
Handout 1 (123 kb PDF)
Handout 2 (2.6 mb PDF)
- Joshua Silver, National Community Reinvestment Coalition
C. Property Interventions and Restoring Neighborhood Confidence
The revitalization or destabilization of a neighborhood is largely driven by the confidence people have in its future. Confidence drives a range of important decisions – a resident’s decision to stay or move, a homeowner’s decision to reinvest in a property, a homebuyer’s choice to purchase. The work of neighborhood revitalization should be aimed at restoring confi dence and infl uencing these decisions. Strategies to deal with abandoned properties, including Neighborhood Stabilization Program efforts, need to recognize the critical role of confidence if their efforts are to be successful. This session will focus on aligning neighborhood strategies and linking abandoned property efforts to other activities to achieve neighborhood confi dence. Presenters will provide real-life examples of neighborhood confidence-building strategies.
- Ira Goldstein, The Reinvestment Fund (8.7 mb PDF)
- Alan Mallach, Metropolitan Policy Program, The Brookings Institution
- Marcia Nedland, Fall Creek Consultants
- Michael Schubert, Community Development Strategies (9.3 mb PDF)
D. Untangling the Web of the Default Servicing Industry
How does the default servicing industry work, and how can the public sector create meaningful partnerships with it to reinforce property preservation and facilitate strategic acquisition? The session offers an overview of the processes used by the default servicing industry, from loss mitigation, collections, and foreclosure through disposition of REO (“Real Estate Owned,” or bank-owned real estate). Panelists will provide insight into the full costs of traditional methods of combating blight, such as code enforcement and vacant property registration ordinances. Learn about strategies and partnerships to increase communication between the public sector and the default servicing industry, and to facilitate the reduction of blight associated with REO and properties in foreclosure.
- John Carter, City of Dayton, Ohio
- Rob Hicks, LPS Field Services, Inc. and LPS Asset Management Solutions, Inc.
- Bill Roach, LPS Field Services, Inc.
E. Land Banking and Innovation in Land Revitalization: Learning from the Best
With today’s foreclosure and vacant property crisis, land banking is playing a critical role in the revitalization of our cities. Land acquisition, management, and disposition of vacant and foreclosed properties are crucial to the revival of communities across the country. Join this panel of national experts and local practitioners from leading-edge programs as they discuss their successes, lessons learned, and innovative policies to reinvent their cities and other communities across the country.
- Frank S. Alexander, Emory Law School
- Melissa Barry, Louisville Metro Housing (777 kb PDF)
- Nate Hoelzel, City of Cleveland, Department of Economic Development (2.8 mb PDF)
- Daniel T. Kildee, Genesee Institute (4.1 mb PDF)
F. Emerging Opportunities through Federal Policy
For the fi rst time in decades, housing and urban policy are hot topics in Washington, offering communities new opportunities for revitalization and recovery. Hear about encouraging new
federal policy efforts and their implications for states and localities. Learn about the Community Regeneration, Sustainability, and Innovation Act, activities of the newly established White House Office of Urban Affairs, and other policies and programs that could help spur redevelopment in cities and regions.
- Mary Cronin, Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition
- Matt Fery, Office of Congressman Brian Higgins
- Jennifer Vey, Metropolitan Policy Program, The Brookings Institution (27.8 mb PDF)
- Sam Zimbabwe, Reconnecting America and the Center for Transit-Oriented Development (6.6 mb PDF)
CONCURRENT SESSIONS 3
A. Deal Makers and Risk Takers: Developers Who Are Creating Value and Sustainability
The benefits of redeveloping vacant properties extend beyond converting troubled properties to
assets. Vacant properties give us the chance to redesign our communities as well as foster new
partnerships among businesses, communities, and other public and private stakeholders. This session will discuss the various actions that top developers are taking to facilitate redevelopment of under-utilized properties, the challenges they face, and the opportunities for greater reuse of properties to prompt community revitalization.
- Sanford Garner, A2SO4 (1.8 mb PDF)
- Representative Harold Mitchell, ReGenesis, Inc. (126 mb PDF)
- Marc H. Morial, National Urban League
- Yusef Freeman, McCormack Baron Salazar (3.3 mb PDF)
B. Best Practices: Linking Healthy Diets, Food Access, Neighborhoods, and Vacant Properties
There is a growing land use movement in many cities to link productive reuse of vacant properties with neighborhood and community food systems that provide access to healthy foods, new jobs for citizens, and economic development opportunities for neighborhoods. Join this session to learn more about how healthy food production is an integral part of community redevelopment, and to see how cities are producing bumper crops on vacant and abandoned sites. National experts and local practitioners will lead participants through an interactive discussion that provides a primer on food systems and on-the-ground work. Emphasis will be placed on knowledge and skills that can be taken back to local communities and implemented in cities across the country.
- Mike Hamm, C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems at Michigan State University
- Julia Seward, Local Initiatives Support Corporation
- Deborah Younger, Local Initiatives Support Corporation Detroit (18.8 mb PDF)
C. Transportation, Infrastructure, and Vacant Property
Infrastructure and vacant property are not often part of the same conversation. However, many metro areas around the country have been realizing the strong connections that exist between infrastructure investment and the reuse of vacant properties. As a national discussion on creating an infrastructure stimulus package and reauthorization of the federal transportation funding bill are underway, 2009 provides an opportunity to create a sustained connection between reclaiming communities and rebuilding our infrastructure assets. Participants can join the national conversation and hear from national and local pioneers, learning about Transportation for America’s campaign to redesign the nation’s transportation investment system, as well as innovative financing tools being used to connect transportation and community reinvestment.
- Geoff Anderson, Smart Growth America (26.5 mb PDF)
- Grant Ervin, 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania (19.4 mb PDF)
- Sam Zimbabwe, Reconnecting America and the Center for Transit-Oriented Development (29.5 mb PDF)
D. New Approaches to Acquisition and Disposition of Foreclosed Property
As the foreclosure crisis advances, the number of REO properties is rising alarmingly fast. There are approximately 900,000 REO units currently listed and the number will very soon exceed 1 million. But acquiring individual REO properties is difficult and time consuming and, in today’s credit climate, returning properties to productive use can be challenging. This session will present a number of innovative strategies being developed that decrease the time and cost of purchasing property and provide a variety of disposition options so that homes can be put back into productive use and neighborhoods can be stabilized rapidly.
- Jeff Corey, Northern Communities Land Trust (30.5 mb PDF)
- Catherine V. Godschalk, Center for Community Self-Help (600 kb PDF)
- Craig Nickerson, National Community Stabilization Trust (23.8 mb PDF)
- Harold Simon, National Housing Institute and Community Asset Preservation Corporation of New Jersey (1.8 mb PDF)
E. Prosecuting Housing Code Violations: Essential Neighborhood Stabilization Strategies
Today more than ever, distressed communities are turning to their prosecutors, municipal attorneys, and judges to aggressively enforce relevant state and local housing codes to prevent occupied substandard dwellings from becoming vacant and abandoned. These cases often involve special challenges of tracking down legally responsible parties, determining whether to file a case in civil or criminal court, assessing fines and penalties, managing tenant relocation, and the possible appointment of receivers. Community organizations and neighborhood groups have important roles to play during each case and after. A respected panel of code enforcement attorneys, housing court judges, and special investigators will discuss the trials and tribulations of housing code enforcement and the critical roles they play in preventing blight and abandonment.
- Jason Hessler, Baltimore Housing
- The Honorable Raymond L. Pianka, Cleveland Municipal Court, Housing Division (2.4 mb PDf)
- Ray Pfeiffer, City of Columbus, Ohio
- Joe Schilling, Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech
- Diane Silva-Martinez, San Diego City Attorney’s Office (13.2 mb PDF)
Handout 1 (32 kb PDF)
Handout 2 (68 kb PDF)
Handout 3 (72 kb PDF)
F. Foreclosure, Renter Households, and the Rental Stock: Impacts and Opportunities
What is the impact of the foreclosure crisis on renter households and the available rental stock? Panelists will present current research that demonstrates the degree to which the foreclosure crisis is displacing renter households, decreasing the supply of rental units, and directly contributing to higher levels of homelessness. Find out about local efforts to use Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funds and other resources to return foreclosed properties to the available housing stock as affordable rental units. City staff involved in implementing their NSP plans and CDCs that have used the funds to develop affordable rental housing will discuss their experiences.
- Katy Brett, City of Indianapolis, Indiana (19.1 mb PDF)
- Jennifer Fults, City of Indianapolis, Indiana (6.1 mb PDF)
- Frank Hagaman, Partners in Housing Development Corporation (41.9 mb PDF)
Handout 1 (96 kb PDF)
Handout 2 (132 kb PDF)
Handout 3 (176 kb PDF)
- Danilo Pelletiere, National Low Income Housing Coalition (388 kb PDF)
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3
CONCURRENT SESSIONS 4
A. Fostering Citizens Greening
Abandoned vacant lots in post-industrial cities are often eyesores that attract dumping and illicit activity. While these properties create many maintenance challenges, they also provide opportunities to improve urban ecosystems, catalyze community health and wellness, increase safety, and enhance property values over time. During this presentation, you will learn about what non-profits and governments are doing in Baltimore, Detroit, Flint, and Lawrence to transform abandoned lots into community assets. Panelists will share success stories in community managed gardening and greening and low maintenance landscape designs for vacant lots. They will also talk about steps they have taken to change local policy and perceptions around vacant land.
- Ashley Atkinson, The Greening of Detroit
- Christina Kelly, Genesee County Land Bank (30.7 mb PDF)
- Heather McMann, Groundwork Lawrence (1.56 mb PDF)
- Kari Smith, Parks & People Foundation, Community Greening Stewardship Program (9 mb PDF)
B. Renewing the Crescent City: An Update on Vacant Property Reclamation in Post-Katrina New Orleans
This session zeroes in on the continuing complexity of the issues in New Orleans and the useful
strategies being employed for reclamation and rebuilding. Topics include the challenges and
successes of land acquisition, management, and disposition strategies of the New Orleans
Redevelopment Authority, the City’s code enforcement reforms post-Katrina, and nonprofit
participation in revitalizing the thousands of properties coming through public agencies into the market.
- Frank Alexander, Emory Law School
- Troy Body, Mayor’s Office of Recovery and Development Administration, New Orleans
- Nicole Heyman, Local Initiatives Support Corporation
- Serena Sanjurjo, New Orleans Redevelopment Authority
C. Vacancies, Foreclosures, and Crime: A Roundtable Discussion
The foreclosure crisis has increased the spotlight on the many ways that vacant and abandoned properties contribute to crime and fear in neighborhoods. Speakers in this session will review existing research on this topic to help practitioners analyze the link in their own jurisdictions and advocate for integrated safety and redevelopment strategies. Community development practitioners from areas hard hit by vacancies will also discuss ways that police and fire departments have helped them stabilize hot spots and put crime-prone properties back into productive use. Come hear brief presentations by speakers, and participate in a roundtable discussion on the relationship of vacancies to crime.
- Cynthia Langlykke, CommunityWorks Rhode Island
- Julia Ryan, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (128 kb)
- George Stamatakos, Providence Police Department
D. Culture Clash: Addressing Conventional Urban Challenges through Unconventional Partnerships
The challenges facing urban neighborhoods are varied and complex. From vacant homes to boarded- up storefronts, these problems require a diverse set of skills that cannot be found in any one organization or government body. This session highlights the innovative and often unconventional partnerships being formed in urban areas across the country to address long-standing challenges in a whole new way. We’ll look at model efforts that combine the power of business, government, arts, and education to provide a holistic approach to urban revitalization. We’ll also discuss ways to leverage the financial, intellectual, and human capital needed to make unconventional partnerships work. Join us for this dynamic conversation!
- Ben Peterson, City of Paducah, Kentucky (6.6 mb PDF)
- Dominic Robinson, Metropolitan Development Association of Syracuse and Central New York
- Ben Walsh, Metropolitan Development Association of Syracuse and Central New York (2.2 mb PDF)
E. Vacant Property Registrations
Members of the loan and field servicing industries, along with veteran code enforcement officials, will profi le vacant property registration (VPR) programs as an increasingly popular vehicle for code enforcement, highlighting the latest updates and current trends for municipal and statewide ordinances. As an alternative to the quickly growing number of VPRs across the country, members of the industry will share the lessons learned from the MERS (Mortgage Electronic Registration System) Pilot Program and the benefits of using this upgraded registration system.
- Lorne DuFour, Mortgage Contracting Services, LLC
- Robert Klein, Safeguard Properties, Inc.
- Doug Leeper, City of Chula Vista, California; Deborah Oakley, Oakley Consulting Group
F. New and Emerging Land Banks: Strategies for Success
This panel will explore strategies and issues to address when forming or operating a new land bank. Experts from Ohio, Maryland, Georgia, and Texas will share experiences from Cuyahoga County, Baltimore, Dallas, and Houston. Come share your ideas and experiences on important issues such as how to secure political support, when to set up a separate land banking entity, how to utilize Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds, and what type of resources are critical to success.
- Barry Jones, Fulton County/City of Atlanta Landbank Authority
- James J. Kelly, Jr., University of Baltimore School of Law (56 kb PDF)
- Jim Rokakis, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
- Heather K. Way, University of Texas School of Law (18.3 mb PDF)
CONCURRENT SESSIONS 5
A. The Preservation Green Lab: Reclaiming Vacant Buildings as a Sustainable Development Strategy
In this session, learn about the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s new Preservation Green Lab, located in Seattle, Washington. The Preservation Green Lab is partnering with selected cities and states to create innovative sustainable development policy and showcase energy-efficient rehabilitation projects. This session will feature a presentation from the City of Dubuque, Iowa, a Preservation Green Lab pilot city, on their efforts to reclaim vacant and abandoned properties in the city’s warehouse district. National Trust staff will also discuss other efforts to reduce vacancy and abandonment of historic buildings.
- Adrian Scott Fine, National Trust for Historic Preservation
- Patrice Frey, National Trust for Historic Preservation
- Teri Goodman, City of Dubuque, Iowa
- Cindy Steinhauser, City of Dubuque, Iowa
B. How to Capture a Brownfield Investment Opportunity
CB Richard Ellis, Inc., a global leader in real estate, will produce a lively, informative, and entertaining role-playing exercise using a hypothetical brownfield transaction. Learn the principles that must be applied in practice to accelerate the speed of a brownfield to market, manage environmental liabilities, and unlock the underlying value of impaired real estate assets. The experienced players in this role-playing exercise will draw on the many tools and tactics that must be used by practitioners in their respective real-world roles to bring actual transactions to fruition.
- John Byl, Warner Norcross & Judd LLP
- Kevin Grove, CB Richard Ellis, Inc.
- Bruce Rasher, CB Richard Ellis, Inc. (168 kb PDF)
- Greg Wathen, Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana
C. Bringing Back the ‘Burbs
As our nation’s economy becomes increasingly metropolitan in nature, revitalizing America’s
first-tier suburbs hand-in-hand with core cities is essential to maximize urban prosperity. This
interactive roundtable session will highlight redevelopment strategies particularly relevant to inner-ring communities. Brief snapshot presentations on smaller-scale transit-oriented developments, innovative approaches to sustainability, redevelopment performance measures, green jobs, foreclosure abatement, and other topics will spark small group conversations. Come help identify and prioritize public policies and programs that civic and governmental leaders can use to inspire investors and regulators to turn their attention back to America’s original urban getaways.
- Sarah Coffin, Saint Louis University (2.0 mb PDF)
- Sarah Lansdale, Sustainable Long Island
- Laura McConwell, First Tier Suburbs Caucus, National League of Cities
- Conan Smith, Michigan Suburbs Alliance (3.2 mb PDF)
- Kevin Vettraino, Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (9.3 mb PDF)
D. Innovative Strategies for Stabilizing Communities in the Wake of Foreclosure
More neighborhoods than ever are feeling the strain as the rates of foreclosures and vacancies rise across the country. Today strategies for stabilization, once the domain of core communities in weaker markets, are critical for every community that is confronting decline caused by vacant and foreclosed homes. Learn about cutting-edge, replicable programs and initiatives underway – including acquisition strategies, financing strategies, planning, and reuse – with examples focused on strong, weak, and mixed-market communities.
- Teresa Brice, Local Initiatives Support Corporation Phoenix
- Michael Hickey, Center for New York City Neighborhoods (22 mb PDF)
- Sarah Treuhaft, Living Cities (8.8 mb PDF)
- Ellen Sahli, City of Chicago, Illinois (636 kb PDF)
E. Small Towns and the Broken Window Theory
Foreclosures, high vacancy rates, and abandoned properties: these are the things that give life and voice to the broken window theory – the fi rst step to the slow decline of neighborhoods. In this dynamic discussion, learn how three different small communities are tackling today’s economic woes with vacant or soon-to-be vacant housing and foreclosed properties. Learn about tools, resources, and techniques that you can take home and apply right away in the most needy neighborhoods in your community.
- The Honorable Mayor George “Lisle” Cheatham, City of Greensburg, Kentucky
- The Honorable Mayor John Fetterman, City of Braddock, Pennsylvania
- Sylvia L. Lovely, Kentucky League of Cities and NewCities Institute
- Ben Peterson, City of Paducah, Kentucky (29.1 mb PDF)
F. Strategies to Address Physical Challenges of Reclaiming Vacant Structures
A variety of strategies, methods, and techniques exist to address the physical challenges of
reclaiming vacant properties. Artistic board-up is a cost-effective, secure alternative to conventional board-up techniques that can help promote neighborhood revitalization; relocation of vacant houses is a method to deploy whole structures for infi ll reuse; fi nally, deconstruction is a technique to recycle and reuse housing components and materials. The session’s panelists will explain each approach and identify issues and pointers that were derived through hands-on experience.
- Michael Gainer, Buffalo ReUse (19.9 mb PDF)
- Carl E. Malysz, City of New Albany, Indiana (3.3 mb PDF)
- John Miller, New Albany Community Housing
- Chris Toepfer, NeighborServe, Inc. (2.5 mb PDF)
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