As bank-owned homes become a source of blight and crime, cities struggle to effectively hold banks accountable for their maintenance. Large banks tend to be the worst offenders, often failing to remove trash and weeds or paying fines.
Richmond, California has about 1,500 homes in foreclosure, and 9 code enforcement officers on the case, so it is difficult to keep up with code violations - particularly when the property is owned by a giant bank. A Richmond city supervisor says that "Some banks simply ignore the city's notices.":
"Assigning responsibility for empty homes can be tricky. Sometimes, owners walk away or banks avoid retaking the title quickly. Mortgages often change hands several times, and lender information in government databases can lag by as much as six months."
Thanks to Jason Burke
Read the full story: Richmond struggles to hold banks accountable for blight
On the Docket: Stabilizing Neighborhoods in Cleveland
Real estate speculators are being fined big bucks in Cleveland for letting properties sit vacant, but the jury's still out on whether this is the key to stabilizing neighborhoods.
Bank Doesn't Need Proof it Owns Your Mortgage to Foreclose in Colorado
Starting in 2002, the Colorado legislature began to make it easier to foreclose on properties in Colorado. Original loan documents are no longer required to prove the bank actually owns the property.
NYC Puts 250 Most Distressed Apartment Buildings on Enhanced Oversight List
The city’s Alternative Enforcement Program prioritizes buildings with the most unaddressed code violations, allowing the city to make repairs where needed.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners
Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents
NYC votes to cut outdoor dining red tape, speed up permitting
New York City also voted to allow the Department of Transportation to begin work on urgent projects before notifying elected officials.
California appears to reject Prop. 45
The proposition would have expanded the projects that qualify for a streamlined environmental review, effectively paring down the California Environmental Quality Act.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority