Center for Community Progress

MARCH 3, 2025

Their contributions supplement local government capacity and fosters neighborhood pride. Beyond aesthetics, these programs improve public health and safety. Engage local groups to collect data. Make sure data is spatially referenced with GPS coordinates. Be transparent about the purpose of the inventory.

Outreach 97

Outreach Engagement Stewardship Public Health 97

Center for Community Progress

MARCH 24, 2023

Vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated (VAD) properties—referred to by some as “blighted properties”—pose significant costs to public health, property values, local taxpayers, and more. Failure to address problem properties, just like ignoring a leaking faucet, costs more in the long run and causes more harm over time.

Local Government 98

Local Government Public Health Public Safety Translation 98

Center for Community Progress

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

A local government might clean up a dumping site only to get a call a few weeks later about more trash and debris in the same place. Illegal dumping has public health, economic, and environmental consequences. Check out our vacant land projects database for examples of vacant land stewardship and reuse.

Stewardship 52

Stewardship Public Health Local Government Accountability 52