links to released vacant property reports

as promised, here are the links to the two National Vacant Properties Campaign reports released today:

full report (17MB) here.
flushed out five recommendations with case studies (3.7MB) here.

here are the five central recommendations:
- Institute a Regional Real Property Information System (RPIS)
- Expand and Synchronize City and Suburban Code Enforcement Policies and Programs
- Establish a Joint-County Land Bank
- Adopt Community Development Strategies Suitable for Shrinking Markets
- Infuse Vacant Property Reclamation into Neighborhood Plans and 2010 Comprehensive Plan

here is an interesting bit from page 30, with the knowledge of the city receiving $2.7 million in NSP funds:

"We would urge city and county leaders to carefully consider using the majority of their [Neighborhood Stabilization] funds for capacity-building projects and programs and resist the temptation to use all of the funds for demolition or acquisition and rehabilitation. Investment in a land bank would pay dividends well beyond mere property demolition and acquisition."

It is interesting to consider the existing policies and actions over time which perpetuate no-growth sprawl. Well over 400 homes have been built every year in the county since 1999 according to the report, and one wonders where they were all built.

For example: what will be the future of Western Reserve Road?

will it develop into a southern retreat for more of the commercial heart of the county, rendering route 224 to become more barren?

will more roads further out result in fewer services like snow removal and higher expenses for repaving these miles and miles of new roads for those who remain in the inner-ring suburbs?

is this all sustainable for a region slightly shrinking in population?

just asking.