A new study suggests that Philadelphia's 40,000 vacant buildings reduce home values by as much as $8,000 and cost the city $20 million per year in maintenance.
The chronic problem is complicated by ownership issues, says Catherine Lucey. Various city agencies own only 25% of the properties. Some of the remaining 75% go to public auction, but many are left to decay.
Mayor Michael Nutter's administration has employed anti-blight programs to combat the problem with minimal success but is also considering models from other cities, Lucey writes:
"One example that has been heralded is in Genesee County, Mich., home to Flint, where the government set up a land bank that takes control of abandoned and tax-foreclosed properties and decides the best use - be it to sell the property to a developer, to give it to a community group or to maintain the land itself."
FULL STORY: Abandoned properties have reduced city home values by an average of $8,000, study finds

Rethinking Redlining
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
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Santa Clara County Dedicates Over $28M to Affordable Housing
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Why a Failed ‘Smart City’ Is Still Relevant
A Google-backed proposal to turn an underused section of Toronto waterfront into a tech hub holds relevant lessons about privacy and data.

When Sears Pioneered Modular Housing
Kit homes sold in catalogs like Sears and Montgomery Ward made homeownership affordable for midcentury Americans.
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.
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Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
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