The city hopes its incentives to buyers will help convert the thousands of city-owned vacant lots into housing, green space, or other productive uses.
In an effort to deter crime and create more affordable housing units in the city, Chicago is speeding up its process for selling city-owned vacant lots to buyers at a low cost. The city has identified 4,000 lots “clean and ready for sale” out of the 10,000 properties owned by the city, reports Mackenzie Hawkins for Bloomberg CityLab.
“Turning lots into housing and community spaces like gardens, playgrounds and shopping centers is part of Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s strategy to boost investments in the city’s south and west sides,” Hawkins explains. The endeavor is based on similar projects that have led to declines in violence and crime in other cities. “Efforts to restore vacant lots in Philadelphia reduced gun violence by 29%, burglaries by 22%, and nuisance crimes like vandalism and noise complaints by 30%, according to a study of 541 lots by researchers at Columbia University that Chicago officials have referenced when presenting their plan.”
To boost the project, “the city has allocated $87 million in federal and bond funding to vacant lot revitalization under the Chicago Recovery Plan, allowing it to undertake a comprehensive survey of all empty plots.” The lots will primarily be sold for residential construction, but the city will also accept applications for commercial and open space projects.
FULL STORY: Chicago Plans to Speed Up Vacant Lot Sales in Bid to Curb Crime
Report: One-Third of Vacant Lots in Chicago Near Transit
Vacant lots pose challenges for the city’s goals of promoting transit-oriented development.
Report Links Housing Growth and Climate Resilience
Data from three U.S. metro areas show a failure to address land use and sprawl as a key factor driving climate change.
Chicago to Use Vacant Lots to Capture Stormwater
Chicago's Planning Department is putting eight city lots to work as "Stormwater Parks."
Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.
Time Running Out for Illinois Transit Bill
Chicago-area transit agencies face a daunting budget gap if lawmakers fail to agree on a funding bill by the end of the current legislative session.
Jacksonville Adding New Bike Racks
The city will add dozens of new bike racks over the coming months to prevent bike theft and reduce sidewalk clutter.
In Dense NYC, What Does ‘Human Scale’ Mean?
Advocates reject the NIMBY label, arguing that they seek a more sustainable, incremental pace of growth modeled on mid-rise neighborhoods.
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.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada