The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland provides an early assessment of a new foreclosure law in Ohio designed to help reduce vacant and blighted properties in the state.
An article by Michelle Park Lazzette details a new state law in Ohio that fast-tracks foreclosures of vacant and abandoned properties.
Lazzette checks in with community development experts from the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, the same organization that targeted the need for such a law in a 2013 white paper. Their verdict: the success of the new law will all come down to implementation.
Potential sticking points for the new law include local jurisdictions, financial institutions, and some local housing advocates, according to the Cleveland Fed experts cited in the article. The potential benefits of the new law, however, include lower costs to local jurisdictions and neighbors.
FULL STORY: A Faster Foreclosure Option for Vacant, Abandoned Properties
Ohio Bans the Use of Plywood to Board Up Vacant Buildings
The state of Ohio is expanding a practice used by the Fannie Mae to counter the negative effects of vacancies and blight.
The External Costs of Vacant Homes
It might seem obvious that vacant homes attract crime and other noxious elements to surrounding properties, but researchers are still working to quantify those external costs.
$160 Million in Bond Funding for Demolitions on the Ballot in Detroit
Proposal N, on the ballot for Detroit voters next week, will provide $160 million in bond funding for demolitions and $90 million to mothball homes for future rehab, but, according to this opinion, it won't solve the city's blight challenges.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
Downtown Los Angeles on the Rise: A Promising 2025
Fueled by new developments, cultural investments, and a growing dining scene, downtown Los Angeles is poised for significant growth in 2025, despite challenges from recent wildfires and economic uncertainties.
How Single-Family Conversions Benefit Both Homeowners and Cities
Converting single-family homes to triplexes can ease the housing crisis and offer affordable, flexible options for more households. Why is it largely illegal?
Report: Transportation Equity Requires More Than Electrification
Lower-income households often lack the resources to buy electric cars, signaling a need for a more holistic approach to improving mobility and lowering transportation costs.
Supporting Indigenous Land Reclamation Through Design
Harvard students collaborated with the Sac and Fox Nation to develop strategies for reclaiming and co-managing ancestral lands in Illinois, supporting Indigenous sovereignty through design, cultural storytelling, and economic planning.
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.
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research