This article from Rueters highlights innovations from across the nation to address the problem of significantly declined populations in older industrial cities and the resulting blight and infrastructure. The article begins by praising the Genesee County Land Bank for it’s innovative approach to urban revitalization through vacant lot reclamation and demolition. The Land Bank has successfully demolished 1,000 homes in five years. The concept of deliberately shrinking a city usually raises some eyebrows. After all, shrinking implies smaller, and smaller isn’t exactly an American ideal. But it’s necessary. As Dan …

Upon taking office, one of the first things President Obama did was sign an executive order that established the White House Office of Urban Affairs (you can read that executive order here). As the Office has begun to form its agenda, it appears that the plight of older industrial cities is certainly on that radar screen. A few weeks ago Adolfo Carrion, Director of the White House Office of Urban Affairs, and Derek Douglas, Special Assistant to the President on Urban Policy, attended the World Urban Forum 2010. Both of …

In December Fannie Mae struck a deal with the Cuyahoga County Land Bank that will greatly help the City of Cleveland combat blight and could possibly become a national program. Under the new program, Fannie Mae will sell foreclosed homes to the land bank for just $1. And if the home needs to be demolished, Fannie Mae will cover up to $3,500 of the cost.
This agreement is one of the first of its kind and is in the direction that land bank officials would like to see other banks go. …

On Thursday, October 29, 2009 there was a CRSI briefing on Capital Hill. The briefing, which was sponsored by the Northeast Midwest Institute and the National Vacant Properties Campaign, generated energy around the bill and made Hill staffers aware of the Bill and the need for the Bill. Read more about who presented at the briefing and what the had to say here.