why is reclamation important?

At the very least, property abandonment in the United States is a significant waste – a waste of the individual resources making up the property, of the building itself, and of the infrastructure supporting it. But the damage caused by leaving buildings and land behind for greener pastures is even more of a tragedy than that waste. The most obvious victim might be the family living next to a house that’s become a vermin-infested drug den. But these abandoned properties hurt us all by lowering property values, creating serious environmental hazards, draining our inadequate police and fire services, and pulling apart the social networks of our neighborhoods.

Because they often don’t know how else to proceed, many city leaders attempt to use short-term solutions to solve the problems associated with vacant properties. In order to make real changes however, and to achieve long-term gains, cities must make vacant property initiatives part of their comprehensive planning.

Communities making a commitment to the work of reclaiming these properties are benefiting in a number of ways. Learn about the benefits of reclamation:

• Environmental and Health Benefits
  Areas that have prevented or corrected widespread abandonment face far less serious water, air, and land contamination challenges than places that have numerous vacant properties.
• Housing and Community Development
  Infill housing and property rehabilitation can breathe new life into struggling blocks and draw residents back into neighborhoods where disinvestment has occurred.
• Fiscal and Economic Opportunities
  Revitalization of blighted properties can have an economic ripple effect; as neighbors begin to invest in their properties, and the values and tax revenues of the area begin to rise. 
• Civic Engagement
  When citizens, political leaders, and businesses join together to solve their vacancy problems in a sustainable way, they strengthen a city’s social fabric for the long term.
• Public Safety
  Cleaning, boarding, and securing abandoned buildings is a critical first step in making sure that the properties don’t become fire hazards, attracting crime and contamination.
• Smart Growth
  Revitalizing vacant lots and buildings presents an opportunity to manage growth in our regions. The environmental impacts, economic costs, and negative social consequences of our sprawling, haphazard patterns of development make the redevelopment of inner-ring suburbs and urban neighborhoods the single best option of accommodating our future growth in an affordable way.