Ohio has been one of the hardest hit states by the recent wave of foreclosures, with filings continuing to rise. Susie Cagle looks at the variety of state and local policies and programs arming communities with new tools to fight blight.
The most recent development in Ohio's battle against blight is a bill that came before the state House this week that would, "allow people to clean up vacant, blighted properties without fear of a trespassing charge." If the effort in "harnessing NIMBY instincts for good" fails, there's always the public shaming approach. On Wednesday, notes Cagle, "The Columbus Dispatch and a city website published the names of negligent owners of more than 100 blighted properties." These efforts follow on programs aimed at stabilizing Cleveland by sanctioning real estate speculators and tearing down abandoned houses.
Whatever the tactic, and it sounds like Ohio is trying out as many as it can devise, the state is clearly giving the fight against blight all that it can muster. "The Rust Belt may be gritty, beat-down, and other patronizing adjectives we seem to reserve for post-industrial American cities," says Cagle, "but there’s a lot of hope in it yet."
FULL STORY: Ohio fights a multi-front war against blight
Mapping Tool Enables Housing Action in Detroit and Beyond
A web tool that helped Detroit develop a housing plan may ultimately provide public data on every parcel in the country.
New Jersey Communities Build Coalition to Track Abandoned Properties
The residents of Camden County in New Jersey, across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, banded together to catalog the abandoned properties in their neighborhoods, where the problem of abandoned, or "zombie" properties, is growing.
Political Support for Amtrak’s All Aboard Ohio Plans Follows Federal Infrastructure Funding
Gov. Mike DeWine’s sudden interest in working with Amtrak might have something to do with $66 billion in Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding recently announced by the Federal Railroad Administration.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?
Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.
Minneapolis Bans Rent-Setting Software
Four cities have enacted restrictions on algorithmic software that can inflate rent costs.
Oakland to Add 244 New EV Chargers
Oakland plans to launch its new charging network at eight locations by the end of 2025.
Jane Goodall Inspires with Message of Hope, Resilience, and Environmental Action
Speaking in Pasadena, Jane Goodall offered a hopeful and inspirational message, urging global compassion, environmental responsibility, and the power of individual action to shape a better future.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland