"Vacancy begets vacancy." With more than 1,000 vacant lots adding to the city's running total of 20,000 each year, Cleveland is on an Ultra-Ex mission to prepare these sites for tomorrow's housing renaissance.
The "ultra" in Ultra-Ex, a team of Cleveland-area scientists, stands for Urban Long-Term Research Area.
Michael Tortorello reports, "Along with its sci-fi name, Ultra-Ex advances a forward-looking mission: to document the ecological benefits that vacant lots might provide and to redefine the land, from neighborhood blight to community asset."
But the scope of the problem represents an enormous undertaking. After all, "[o]ne abandoned yard is a mess; 20,000 abandoned yards is an ecosystem. At this scale, Cleveland's vacant land begins to look less like a sign of neglect and more like an ecological experiment spread over some 3,600 acres," notes Tortorello.
FULL STORY: Finding the Potential in Vacant Lots
A Microfarm Grows in an L.A. Front Yard
The founder of Asante Microfarm hopes his farm will serve as a model for bringing fresh produce to underserved communities.
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Taking Urban Agriculture For What It Is
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Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
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HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
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Conservatives’ Decongestion Pricing Flip-Flop
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Can Geothermal Energy Fuel Hawaiʻi’s Future?
Gavin Murphy, a New Zealand-based consultant with experience in indigenous-led geothermal projects, argues that Hawaiʻi is poised to achieve energy independence and economic growth by respectfully developing its untapped geothermal resources.
Climate Gardening: Cultivating Resilient Landscapes in Los Angeles
TreePeople’s 4th Annual Urban Soil Symposium explored how climate gardening, soil health, and collaborative land management strategies can enhance urban resilience in the face of climate change.
Electric Surge: EV Chargers Outnumber Gas Nozzles in California
California now has 48% more electric vehicle chargers than gasoline nozzles, reflecting its rapid shift toward clean transportation and aggressive zero-emission goals despite federal pushback.
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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.
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