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Vacant Properties: The True Costs to Communities Copyright 2014 City of Dubuque Consent Items # 5. ITEM TITLE: Vacant Properties: The True Costs to Communities SUMMARY: City Manager transmitting information from the National Vacant Properties Campaign. SUGGESTED DISPOSITION: Suggested Disposition: Receive and File ATTACHMENTS: Description Type ❑ Vacant Properties: The True Costs to Communities Supporting Documentation 7 ti•' �! '"777� ..�. :�..'� •s �— '-may -- T• 1 - 1 �as .._ �—. _ -3�-moi._ ��- •- . Le • I x - _ �.. _- _ BERIBERI 1 4 � The True Costs to Communities National Vacant Properties Campaign CREATING OPPORTUNITY FROM ABANDONMENT ©August zoos Acknowledgements The National Vacant Properties Campaign would like to thank the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for providing the funding to develop this report.We also thank the many people who contributed to the study: Margaret Bass,Don Chen,Jennifer Leonard,Lisa Mueller Levy,Cheryl Little,Barbara McCann,Alke Moravec,Joe Schilling,and Kevin Snyder. Photo Credits Cover Photo: Joe Schilling Inside Photos: Ken LeBlanc Jennifer Leonard Joe Schilling National Vacant Properties Campaign 1707 L Street,NW Suite 1050 Washington,DC 20036 www.vacantpropertles.org TABLE OF CONTENTS ExecutiveSummary ............................................................................................ I Introduction..........................................................................................................2 Costs of Municipal Services .............................................................................3 Decreased Property Values and Tax Revenues .............................................7 Costs to Homeowners........................................................................................ 11 The Spiral of Blight: The Cumulative Impact of Vacant Property......... 12 Summary ............................................................................................................. 13 Bibliography....................................................................................................... 14 Endnotes.............................................................................................................. 18 Executive Summary By at accounts,vacant properties area curse.Just ask anyone who lives next to a drug den,a boardedupfiretrap or a trash filled lot.But abandonment often seems beyond the control of local officials,and it rarely incites a sense of urgency beyond the neighbors on the block where it occurs. But the evidence shows that vacant properties are an expense that local governments simply cannot afford - and that the expense grows with every year a property remains vacant or abandoned.Such properties produce no or little property tax income,but they require plenty of time,attention,and money: (2) Astudy InAust[n,Texasfound that"blocks with unsecured [vacant] buildings had 3.2 times as many drug ca[Is to po[Ice, 1.8 times as many theft ca[Is,and twice the number of violent ca[Is"as blocks without vacant buildings.' (2) More than 12,000 fires break out in vacant structures each year in the US,resulting in $73 million in property damage annually. Most are the result of arson? (2) Over the past five years,St. Louis has spent$15.5 million,or nearly$100 per household,to demolish vacant buildings.Detroit spends$800,000 per year'and Philadelphia spends $1,846,745 per year cleaning vacant lots' (2) A 2001 study in Philadelphia found that houses within 15o feet of a vacant or abandoned property experienced a net loss of$7,627 in value.' The aim of this report Is to summarize the many and varied costs that vacant and abandoned properties impose upon communities.It compiles research from across the country quantifying a wide variety of costs,including city services(nuisance abatement,crime and fire prevention), decreased property values and tax revenues,as well as the costs born by homeowners and the issue of the spiral of blight. This report also includes some good news: communities are finding ways to recapture the value In vacant properties,bringing vitality back to once blighted neighborhoods.These communities are providing valuable lessons for us all,and many of the most successful practices are being replicated throughout the country. Vacant Properties: The True Costs to Communities 1 Introduction The places with the most well known vacant property problems are older industrial cities in the Midwest and Northeast. One leading expert has estimated that roughly ten percent of residential structures are vacant in Camden (NJ),Baltimore,and Detroit' But with sprawl pushing new development to the edges of many communities,even growing metropolitan areas such as San Diego and Las Vegas pay the costs of vacant and abandoned properties.The Brookings Institution found that in 60 cities with populations over 100,000,there are an average of two vacant buildings for every i,000 residents' (see table below). egion Number of CitiesAverage % of Vacant Average Number of Reporting Abandoned Land to Total Area Abandoned Structures Property Data per i,000 Inhabitants Source: Pagano a Bowman p.7 Properties are often abandoned as a result of metropolitan wide trends,such as sprawling development,consumer preference,job loss,and demographic shifts.But on an individual level, the most common reason a property is abandoned is that the cost of maintenance and operation exceeds the apparent value of the property.This occurs regardless of"whether the market is Intrinsically capable of supporting continued use of the property,or whether market inefficiencies, or inadequate and inaccurate information,lead property owners to that conclusion"' Most Importantly for cities facing abandonment problems,the longer a property remains abandoned, the higher the cost of renovation.This leads to continued abandonment even when market conditions have dramatically improved. Cities must address the increasing number of vacant properties,not only because of the negative Impact they have on the surrounding community,but because of the numerous costs they impose. They strain the resources of local police,fire,building,and health departments,depreciate propertyvalues,reduce property tax revenue,attract crime,and degrade the quality of life of remaining residents. In summary,vacant and abandoned properties"act as a significant fiscal drain on already strapped municipalities,requiring disproportionate municipal resources,while providing little or no tax revenue to municipal coffers"' 2 Vacant Properties: The True Costs to Communities Even if 90 percent of the crimes prevented are merely displaced to the surrounding area,securing abandoned buildings appears to be a highly costeffective crime control tactic for distressed neighborhoods."" A crime prevention tactic that has gotten much attention in recent years is directly related to vacant,neglected,and abandoned property.According to George Kelling and James Q.Wilson, "The Broken Window Theory"holds that"If the first broken window in a building is not repaired, then people who like breaking windows will assume that no one cares about the building and more windows will be broken... The disorder escalates,possibly to serious crime"Wilson and Kelling suggest that it Is the nature of the physical environment that leads to an increase in criminal activity.' While the monetary costs of addressing the crime associated with abandoned buildings has not been calculated,it is clear that vacant properties burden police departments. Neighborhoods in Bloom Fights Crime targeted neighborhoods experienced a 19 percent reduction In crime compared to a 6 percent reduction Arson and Accidental Fires In 1999,firefighters in Worcester,Massachusetts entered a vacant cold storage buildingthatwas aflame to search for a homeless couple reported to have been in the building.Two firefighters became disoriented,and others went to their aid.Six became trapped and died in the fire.The homeless couple had leftthe premises after the fire began."The firefighters'deaths became national news as one of the major costs of vacant properties became all too clear. The US Fire Administration reports that over 12,000 fires in vacant structures are reported each year in the US,resulting in $73 million in property damage annually.Fires are likely in vacant properties because of poor maintenance,faulty wiring,and debris.In the winter,homeless people burn candles for light and heat and may even bring in outdoor grills.But more importantly,vacant buildings are a primarytarget of arsonists.More than 70 percent of fires in vacant or abandoned buildings are arson or suspected arson.Such fires strain the resources of fire departments. Because vacant buildings often contain more open shafts,pits,and holes that can be an invisible threat to firefighters,the cost of fightingthose fires is more than financial.The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)estimates that 5,000 firefighters are injured every year in vacant or abandoned building fires." A Vacant Properties: The True Costs to Communities t 1 t - r ' f �..! it ,.moi. ,•;,. ' 1 z h. Demolishing crumbling vacant buildings does not completely eliminate the costs associated with abandonment.The resulting vacant lots still require maintenance.A study of vacant lots in Philadelphia estimated that the city and closely related public agencies spent$1.8 million annually on cleaning vacant lots.At the current level of activity and assuming a three percent inflation rate, this adds up to $49.6 million over the course of twenty years"The study only included the costs of five out of the fifteen agencies that have a role in vacant property management° Rehabilitation is clearly a better choice.An examination of the St.Paul,Minnesota budget for maintenance and security costs associated with vacant buildings revealed that while demolition saves $4,697,"the rehabilitation of a vacant building will save an estimated $7,141 in maintenance costs over a twenty-year period. Managing vacant properties ties up the time of municipal employees and the resources of municipal taxpayers.At the same time,these properties depress the value of other properties and generate little or no tax revenue themselves. Lot Clean-Up Programs Ir Lot clean-up programs offer a means for neighborhoods to reverse the neglect associated with vacant and abandoned properties with sweat equity.Most often,they are efforts run by community volunteers with supplies and dumpsters provided by local government. In St.Louis,Missouri,Project Blitz,puts 75,000 volunteers to work every spring on ioo neighborhood"cleaning and greening" projects.This program has helped clear more than seven million pounds of trash from streets,alleys,and vacant lots.26 .A� AML 6 Vacant Properties: The True Costs to Communities costly- in St.Paul,the overall lossto the city for a single demolished house Is about $7,78g."" And wh Ile tax sales provide a source of I nco me for municipalities,they do not ensure that the abandoned propertywIll be put to productive use.The properties are sometimes purchased by speculators without any Intent to restore them,and the process falls to assemble marketable parcels of land. Even If the taxes are being paid,those taxes don't amount to much. In St.Paul,a vacant lot produces$1,148 In propertytaxes over 20 years; an unrenovated but Inhabited home generates $5,650,and a rehabilitated property generates $13,145.'o From the State House to Your House: Reform of Tax Foreclosure Laws as a Too[ One ofthe first barriers cities face in rehabilitating vacant properties is simply gaining control over them. 8 Vacant Properties: The True Costs to Communities Michigan's legislature responded with Public Act i23,passed in 1999. PA i23 amended the General Property Tax Act to streamlinethe system for returningtax-delinquent propertiesto productive use. More efficient than previous foreclosure laws which could take up to six yearsto deliver propertyto new ownership,PA i23 enables county and state governmentsto reclaim properties in two years with a deartitlejudgment"The property is titled to either the county or the state.The law helps local governments move quickly,before a vacant building deteriorates or startsto spread blight.The law also created a fund,paid for through property sales that helps local governments manage foreclosed land. Genesee County,hometo Flint,has donethe mostto take advantage of PA i23.The Genesee County Treasurer's Office and the Genesee County Land bank,created in 2oo2,work in tandem to prevent foreclosure and bring tax reverted properties back into productive use.Since 2oo2,the Land Bank has acquired more than a,aoo residential,commercial,and industrial properties,from which almost 600 will have been demolished by December 2005,and las have been transferred to side yards.'�The Land Bank is completing a $3.R million mixed-use redevelopment in downtown Flint,over ao housing renovations are completed or underway,and they continue to assemble parcels for additional development projects. The county has also received $200,000 from the U.S.EPAto complete environmental inspections on commercial,industrial,and residential properties.The process is a collaborative one,pulling in partners from a diverse array of local,regional,state,and nationalagencies. Lower Property Values Vacant properties generate little in taxes-but,perhaps more importantly,they rob surrounding homes and businesses of their value. Ina 2001 study,researchers from Philadelphia found that houses within 15o feet of a vacant or abandoned property experienced a net loss of$7,627 in value. Properties within 150 to 300 feet experienced a loss of$6,319 and those within 300 to 450 feet experienced a loss of$3,542 (see diagram below). Philadelphia researchers also found"that all else being equal,houses on blocks with abandonment 450 feet sold for$6,715 less than houses on blocks with no abandonment."" 300 feet A University of Minnesota study also evaluated the 150 feet fiscal benefits the city of St. Paul would receive if it renovated abandoned housing.Thestudy found that Abandoned vacant properties negatively affected neighborhood Property property values,reducing the city's tax base.While a renovated property did not negatively affect -$7,627 surrounding property values,demolishing a vacant building and leaving a vacant lot in its stead led to -$6'819 "$26,397 in lost property tax revenue over a twenty- year period."" -$3,542 le University Center for Pub I ic Policy u Eastern These lower property values represent a hit in the jern lvaria Organizing Project"Blight Free pocketbook for both homeowners and the city.But h adelphia:A Public Private Strategy to Create and rhan ce Neighborhood Value."Philadelphia,2001. a focused effort to bringvacant properties back can restore value-and taxes-for the city. r i • Vacant Properties: The True Costs to Communities 9 Costs to Homeowners Living Ina neighborhood with many vacant and abandoned properties exacts many costs on homeowners.As discussed above,it leads to decreased property values,which can devastate a family's financ[aI security.When neighborhood populations decline and properties become vacant, a smaller number of residents bear a greater proportion of the city's tax burden.Th is fact is particularly relevant in lower-income neighborhoods and among residentswithoutthe resources or the desireto leave the ir neighborhood.And there are other,less easily measured costs of owning a home in an area with vacant properties-coststhat are both fiscal and psychological. Higher Insurance Premiums The proximity of vacant and abandoned properties makes obtaining homeowner's insurance, mortgages,and loans for home improvements more difficult.Insurance companies pay attention to what is going on in a neighborhood;this can mean increased premiums or even policy cancellations for those homeowners living close to an abandoned property. Determining how vacant and abandoned properties influence the cost of homeowners insurance is difficult at best.There are a number of variables involved in the setting of premiums and many insurance companies hold their underwriting manuals to be proprietary.An interview with an insurance agent in Washington,DC representing a national insurance company revealed that the presence of a"high hazard" property(which includes condemned properties)within forty feet of a solid masonry building and ioo feet of a non masonry building would lead to a cancellation or non- renewal of an insurance policy." Poorer Quality of Life Vacant properties degrade quality of life for remaining residents.Genesee County Treasurer DanielT.Kildeetells the story of a Flint resident."I met a woman who bought her house a decade ago,so proud to be a new homeowner.She took good care of her home and her family,and has seen the properties on both sides of her home burn and sit abandoned for many years. Finally under our program (see From the State House to Your House on page b),we took control of the adjacent properties and have scheduled them for demolition and to transfer to her as part of our side lot program.Sadly,our program was not in place for many years as she watched the neighborhood slowly slip away.This is a woman that saw her single greatest financial investment become valueless-not due to the condition of her home,but due to the neglect of the property that surrounds her.She only had two choices: stay and maintain her home and make her mortgage payments,or abandon the property and ruin her credit and her home.That is a story that has repeated itself in our community a thousand times over,with a far less happy ending" With abandoned buildings comes social fragmentation.Individuals who live in communities with an increasing number of vacant buildings begin to feel isolated,weakening the community as a whole.A large number of vacant buildings in a neighborhood symbolizes that no one cares,increasing the likelihood that property values will continue to decline and that further abandonment will set In.In the case of vacant properties,the problem is out in the open,for allto see.The aesthetic impact of abandoned properties,while not easily quantified in dollars,is another cost. Vacant Properties: The True Costs to Communities 11 The Spiral of Blight: The Cumulative Impact of Vacant Property The costs imposed by a single vacant building are not contained. If left alone,that building can trigger a costly spiral of blight.With each arson or lot filling up with garbage comes further incentive for the remaining residents and businesses to flee.To stem these problems it is Important for municipalities to address the issue early. In Renewing the Urban Landscape: The Dilemma of Vocont Housing,the authors describe the Issue of vacant and abandoned property as a self-feeding problem."In blighted neighborhoods that adjoin abandoned ones,existing homeowners face stagnating or declining property values. Unscrupulous real estate agents play on these fears by inducing existing residents to sell cheaply In order to maximize profits at the expense of incoming families.Although this property is still generating revenues for the city,the combination of high resale prices and high tax rates discourage maintenance of such structures. In this way,communities in transition start to look shabby and run-down.Businesses see their profits dwindle and are unlikely to remain in such locales"' Part of the reason abandonment becomes contagious isthat"It makes it harder for people to sell their homes or because it leads banks to lower appraisals or deny loans entirely on blocks with abandoned properties."' r L ro P '�u - •1 5' 12 Vacant Properties: The True Costs to Communities Summary Vacant and abandoned properties are burning a hole in the pockets of local governments, businesses,and Ind ividuaIs.The root of the problem may seem far beyond the control of local governments.The vacancies are often a result of larger forces,such as corporate decisions to transfer jobs overseas,or developers'decisions to invest in sprawling new homes far on the urban fringe.But taking no action simply allows the problem to grow worse. The places that have done the most to end the financial drain of vacant properties are those that recognizetheirvalue.The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society provides an idea of the positive returns cities can expect by investing Ina comprehensive program for dealing with vacant and abandoned property. PHS estimates that,over the course of twentyyears,the City of Philadelphia would receive$1.54 in benefits for every$1.00 in costs($158.7 million in benefits,$105.7 million Investment).This figure stands before even consideringthe additional benefitsthat may"accrue to families and private businesses If the elimination of vacant land results in an increase in the value of their property,a decrease in insurance rates,or a greater interest by businesses to locate In a more attractive city."6' Many cities and counties across the country are looking for strategies that help them capture the value reported bythe programs discussed in this report.While some communities have yet to take the first step,others are enactingtheir own programs to different degrees of success.Sharing experiences and knowledge-what works and what does not- is the role of the National Vacant Properties Campaign,providing forum to arm communities,civic leaders,and policymakers with information that can embolden them to take action.The Campaign hopes to encourage communities and researchers to seek solutions to these and other outstanding problems relating to the scope and cost of vacant properties: (2) Many communities don't have a reliable accounting system to track of the number of vacant properties that exist within their borders. (2) Many of the financial costs incurred by a jurisdiction,including demolition,fire and nuisance abatement,are not routinely tracked. (2) While anecdotal evidence abounds regarding homeowners losing their insurance because of their proximity to an abandoned house,determining the actual cost is difficult. (2) Much of the data available about the costs of vacant properties is found from a variety of sources and is difficult to obtain. Please contact the Campaign to share the experiences in your community. Vacant Properties: The True Costs to Communities 13 Bibliography Accordino,John and Gary T.Johnson."Add ressing the Vacant and Abandoned Property Problem"Journal of Urban AffoirS 22.3 (2000):301-315. Accord ino,John,Galster,George,and Peter Tatian."The Impacts of Targeted Public and Nonprofit Investment on Neighborhood Development,"Richmond:The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond,2005. Alexander,Frank."Renewing Public Assets for Community Development" Local Initiatives Support Collaborative,2000. Anderson,Laurie M.,Scrimshaw,Susan C.,Fullilove,Mindy T.,Fielding,Jonathon E.,and the Task Force on Community Preventive Services."The Community Guide's Model for Linking the Social Environment to Health"American Journal of Preventive Medicine 24.35(2003): 12-20. Arsen,David."Property Tax Assessment Rate and Residential Abandonment: Policy for New York City."American Journal of Economics and Sociology 51.3 (1992): 351 Bowman,Ann O'M.and Michael A. Pagano."Transforming America's Cities: Policies and Conditions of Vacant Land."Urban Affairs Review 35.4(2000): 559-581. Bright,Elise."TOADS: Instruments of Urban Revitalization"Managing Capital Resources for Central City Revitalization. Eds.F.Wagner,T.Joder,and A.Mumphrey Jr. New York: Garland Press,2000. Bright,Elise."Making Business a Partner in Redeveloping Abandoned Central City Property: Is Profit a Realistic Possibility?" Federal Reserve System's Third Community Affairs Research Conference.27-23 March 2003. Colvin,Ashley,Fergusson,Ian,and Heather Phillips."Renewing the Urban Landscape:The Dilemma of Vacant Housing"Center for Public Policy Research -The Thomas Jefferson Program in Public Policy at the College of William Mary for the International City/County Management Association,2000. Cramer,John."Roanoke Pushes for Improvement-or Demolition -of Neglected Houses" The Roanoke Times 3 August 2003 <http://www.roanoke.com/roat[mes/news/storyi53274.html>. Doyle,James."One House at a Time"Journal of Housing and Community Development58.1 (2002):14-17. Duhigg,Charles."Tax Auctions Rarely Deliver a Dream" The Washington Post, 19 July 2003. "EPA Administrator Lauds Innovative Program in Philadelphia"U.S. EPA,2 August 2005 <http://yosemite.epa.gov/r3/press.nSf/7f3f954afgcce396882563fd OO63aogc/ 3c74ddbadb1ab79ca5257051006ffada!Open Document> Farris,J.Terrence."The Barriers to Using Urban Infill Development to Achieve Smart Growth" Housing Policy Debate 12.1 (2001): 1-30. 14 Vacant Properties: The True Costs to Communities Goetz,Edward G.,Cooper,Kristin,Thiele,Bret,and IT In Kin Lam."Pay Now or Pay More Later: St. Paul's Experience in Rehabilitating Vacant Housing"CORA Reporter(April 1998): 12-15. Goetz,Edward G.,Cooper,Kristin,Thiele,Bret,and Hin Kim Lam. The FiscalImp octof the St. Paul HOUSES TO HOMES Program. Neighborhood Planning for Community Revitalization,Center for Urban and Regional Affairs,University of Minnesota.<http:// www.nper.org/reports/nperIO55/nperIO55.html,accessed June 17,2003>. Greenberg,Michael R.,Popper,Frank J.,and Bernadette M.West."The TOADS:A New American Urban Epidemic" Urban Affairs Quarterly 25.3 (1990): 435-453. Greenberg,Michael,Popper,Frank,Schneider,Dona,and Bernadette West."Community Organ izIng to Prevent TOADS in the United States" Community Develop men tJournal 28.1 (1993): 55-65. "Greening boosts home prices-here'sthe proof,"24 February 2005 <http:www.upenn.edu/ pen n news/cu rrent/2005/022405/research.html> Grow Smart Rhode Island."The Costs of Suburban Sprawl and Urban Decay in Rhode Island -Executive Summary." Prepared by H.C.Planning Consultants,Inc.a Planimetrics,LLP, 1999. Hillier,Amy E.,Culhane,Dennis P.,Smith,Tony E.,and Dana C.Tomlin."Predicting Housing Abandonment with the Philadelphia Neighborhood Information System"Journal of Urban Affairs 25.1 (2003): 91-105. Hughes,Mark Alan,and Rebekah Cook-Mack."Vacancy Reassessed" Philadelphia: Public/Private Ventures, 1999. IOCAD Emergency Services Group."Firefighter Fatalities in the Unites States in 1999" National Fire Data Center,2000. Jakle,John and David Wilson."Derelict Landscapes:The Wasting of America's Built Environment." 1992. Kildee,Dan."Bringing Flint Back to Life" Getting Smort!6.4(2003). Keenan,Paul,Lowe,Stuart,and Sheila Spencer."Housing Abandonment in Inner Cities -The Politics of Low Demand for Housing"Housing Studies 14.5 (1999):703716. Kromer,John."Serious About Neighborhoods: Ten Success Strategies for Philadelphia's Residential Communities"2003 <http://neighborhoodrecovery.com>. Kromer,John."Vacant Property Policy and Practice: Baltimore and Philadelphia"Washington,DC: Discussion paper prepared for Brookings Institution Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy and CEOs for Clties,2002. Leigh,Nancey Green."The State Role in Urban Land Redevelopment"Washington,DC: Brookings Institution Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy. MacKenzie,James J.,Dower C.Roger,and Donald D.T.Chen."The Going Rate:What it Really Costs to Drive"Washington,DC: World Resources Institute, 1992. Vacant Properties: The True Costs to Communities 15 Mallach,Alan."From Abandon mentto Reuse: Issues and Policies in Urban Abandonment" Prepared for seminar hosted by Fannie Mae Foundation,5 November 2001. "Michigan's New a Improved Tax Foreclosure System"Genesee County Land Bank, 1 March 2005 <http://thelandbank.org>. "New Tool Readyto Combat Arson: Vacant and Abandoned Buildings Targeted"American Re. 16 June 2003 <http://www.amre.com/content/press/pressmaln.asp?release=04-16-02_ abandonedbuildings>. Operation Brightside.St.Louis,MO.<http://stlouis.missouri.org/brightside/clean-up.html>. Pagano,Michael A.and Ann 0'M Bowman."Vacant Land in Cities:An Urban Resource"Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Center On Urban and Metropolitan Policy,2000. Pennsylvania Horticultural Society."Vacant Land Management in Philadelphia Neighborhoods: Cost Benefit Analysis" Philadelphia, 1999. Ress,David."The Results Are in: Communities Improve; Neighborhoods in Bloom Program Spurs Changes in Several Areas of Richmond"Richmond Times Dispatch, 19 July 2005. Richmond Lisc."The Ripple Effect: Economic Impacts of Targeted Community Investments" Richmond,2005. Scafidi,Benjamin,Schill,Michael,Wachter,Susan,and Dennis Culhane."An Economic Analysis of Housing Abandonment"Journa(of Housing EC(l OMiC5,7(1998):287-303. Schilling,Joseph."Vacant Properties: Revitalization Strategies"IQ Reports 34.3 UCMA, 2002). Schilling,Joseph M."The Revitalization of Vacant Properties:Where Broken Windows Meet Smart Growth."Washington,DC: International City/County Management Association, 2002. Schilling,Joseph M.,and Naomi Friedman."The Revitalization of Vacant Properties: Richmond,Virginia Case Study."Washington,DC: International City/County Management Association,2002. Setterfield,Mark."Abandoned Buildings: Models for Legislative a Enforcement Reform" Hartford, CT: Trinity College,Trinity Center for Neighborhoods,Research Project 23, 1997. Spelman,William."Abandoned Buildings: Magnets for Crime?Journal of Crimina(Justice 21.5 (1993):481-495. Temple University Center for Public Policy and Eastern Pennsylvania Organizing Project."Blight Free Philadelphia: A PublicPrivateStrategy to Create and Enhance Neighborhood Value" Philadelphia,2001. "Urban Insurance Issues."2003. Insurance Information Institute. 11 July 2003 <http://www. Ill.org/media/hottop[cs/insurance/urban/content.print/>. "Vacant buildings: background: conditions."Community Environmental Resource Program (CERP).<http://sticin.missouri.org/cerp/vacant/conditions.htm>. 16 Vacant Properties: The True Costs to Communities Wachter,Susan."The Determinants of Neighborhood Transformation in Philadelphia,Identification and Analysis:The New Kensington Pilot Study."Philadelphia: The Wharton School,University of Pennsylvania,2005. Wallace,Rodrick."Urban Desertification,Public Health and Public Disorder: Planned Shrinkage,Violent Death,Substance Abuse and AIDS in the Bronx"Social Science Medicine 31.7 (1990): 801 813. Wilgoren,Jodi."Urban Renewal Without the Renewal." The New York Times,7 July 2002. Wilson,David a Ma rgulis,Harry."Spatial Aspects of Housing Abandonment in the 1990s: The Cleveland Experience"Housing Studies 9.4(1994): 493-511. Wilson,James Q.and George L.Kelling."Making Neighborhoods Safe"Atlantic Monthly February 1989. Vacant Properties: The True Costs to Communities 17 Endnotes William Spelman,"Abandoned Buildings:Magnets for Crime?"Journal of Criminal Justice 21.5(1553):481. ' "New Tool Ready to Combat Arson:Vacant and Abandoned Buildings Targeted,"American Re,18 June zoos <http://www.amre.com/content/press/pressmain.asp?release-04-18-oz abandonedbuildings>. ' Jodi Wilgoren,"Urban Renewal Without the Renewal;'The New York Times,7 July 2002. ° Pennsylvania Horticultural Society,"Vacant Land Management in Philadelphia Neighborhoods:Cost Benefit Analysis,'Philadelphia,1555:n. Temple University Center for Public Policy and Eastern Pennsylvania Organizing Project,"Blight Free Philadelphia:A PublicPrivateStrategy to Create and Enhance Neighborhood Value,"Philadelphia,2001. Alan Mallach,"From Abandonment to Reuse:Issues and Policies in Urban Abandonment,"Prepared for seminar hosted by Fannie Mae Foundation,s November 2001:1. 7 Michael A.Pagano and Ann 0'M Bowman,"Vacant Land in Cities:An Urban Resource;'Washington,DC: Brookings Institution Center On Urban and Metropolitan Policy,2000:5. Mallach s. Mallach 4. '° Pennsylvania Horticultural Society n. " Connie Bawcum (consultant formerly with Richmond's Neighborhoods in Bloom),12 August zoos. " Spelman 481. " James Q.Wilson and George L Kelling,"Making Neighborhoods Safe,"Ationtic Monthly February 1585. 10 Joseph M.Schilling and Naomi Friedman,"The Revitalization of Vacant Properties:Richmond,Virginia Case Study;'Washington,DC:International City/County Management Association,2002:27. " Richmond Lisc,"The Ripple Effect:Economic Impacts of Targeted Community Investments;'Richmond,zoos:s. " IOCAD Emergency Services Group."Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 1555."National Fire Data Center,2000:A-34 ° American Re " Mark Setterfield,"Abandoned Buildings:Models for Legislative a Enforcement Reform,"Hartford,CT:Trinity College,Trinity Center for Neighborhoods,Research Project 23,1557:s. " John Cramer,"Roanoke Pushes for Improvement-or Demolition-of Neglected Houses,"The Roanoke Times 3 August zoos<http://www.roanoke.com/roatimes/news/Storyl53274.htmi>. '° Mallach 4,footnote z " "Vacant buildings:background:conditions,'Community Environmental Resource Program(CERP),<http:// sticin.missouri.org/cerp/vacant/conditions.htm>.CERP is an environmental clearinghouse for the St.Louis area funded by EPA and run under the auspices of the East-West Gateway Coordinating Council,a regional planning agency. " Wilgoren " Pennsylvania Horticultural Society n.The study defined vacant properties as"unmanaged residential lots under one acre without structures or use for billboards,surface parking lots,or parks." 20 Pennsylvania Horticultural Society n-18.The departments are the Department of Licenses and Inspections, the Streets Department,the Redevelopment Authority,the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation,and the Philadelphia Housing Authority.These costs include office administration as well as the actual cleaning and sealing of vacant lots. " Edward G.Goetz,Kristin Cooper,Bret Thiele,and Hin Kin Lam,"Pay Now or Pay More Later:St.Paul's Experience in Rehabilitating Vacant Housing,'CURA Reporter(April 1558): 14. " Operation Brightside.St.Louis,MO.<http://stiouis.missouri.org/brightside/clean-up.html>. " Frank Alexander,E-mail to Laura Reilly. " Frank Alexander,"Renewing Public Assets for Community Development;'Local Initiatives Support Collaborative,2000:3. " Goetz,Pay Now 18. '° Goetz,Pay Now 15. 18 Vacant Properties: The True Costs to Communities " "Michigan's New a Improved Tax Foreclosure System,"Genesee County Land Bank,i March zoos<http:// the land ba nk.org>. " Robert Beckley(Genesee County Land Bank,Genesee Institute Director),1s August zoos. " Temple University 22. 30 Goetz,Pay Now 19. " John Accord ino,George Galster,and Peter Tatian,"The Impacts of Targeted Public and Nonprofit Investment on Neighborhood Development;'Richmond:the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond,zoos:37. " David Ress,"The Results Are in:Communities Improve;Neighborhoods in Bloom Program Spurs Changes in Several Areas of Richmond;'Richmond Times Dispatch,19 July zoos. " Richmond Lisc s. >a Accordino Addendum. " Susan Wachter"The Determinants of Neighborhood Transformation in Philadelphia,Identification and Analysis:The New Kensington Pilot Study,"Philadelphia:The Wharton School,University of Pennsylvania,zoos:14,15. 41 "EPA Administrator Lauds Innovative Program in Philadelphia;'z August zoos<http://yosemite.epa.gov/rs/press.nsfhf3f954afgcce39bsszs63fdoo63aogc/ 3c74dd bad 618b79c85257051005ff8da!OpenDocument> 01 AI Sisco,Gary Young Insurance(a Nationwide insurance affiliate)in Washington DC,telephone conversation,s July zoos. 4' Dan Kildee,"Bringing Flint Back to Life,'Getting Smortl5.4(2003):1. 03 Ashley Colvin,Ian Fergusson,and Heather Phillips,"Renewing the Urban Landscape:The Dilemma of Vacant Housing,"Center for Public Policy Research-The Thomas Jefferson Program in Public Policy at the College of William Mary for The International City/County Management Association,2000:]. 00 Temple 22. 09 Pennsylvania Horticultural Society 25-27. Vacant Properties: The True Costs to Communities 19 National Vacant Properties Campaign Advisory Committee FrankAlexander, Rachel Morello Frosch, Emory University* Brown University Ford Foundation National Neighborhood Coalition Charles Bartsch, john Powell, Northeast Midwest Institute Ohio State University Noreen Beatley, Joseph Reilly, The Enterprise Foundation JPMorgan Chase Lavea Brachman, Jim Rooney, Delta Institute CLOs for Cities Kim Burnett, Carey Shea, The Surdna Foundation Habitat for Humanity New York City Carlton Eley, Diane Silva Martinez, U.S.LPA,Communityand Environment Division City of San Diego Mindy Fullilove, Susie Sinclair Smith, Columbia University Fannie Mae Foundation Peter Harnik, Israel Small, Trust for Public Land City of Savannah,Georgia Rick Haughey, Heather Smith, Urban Land Institute Congress for the New Urbanism Dan Kildee, Jeff Soule, Treasurer,Genesee County Michigan* American Planning Association John Kromer, Jennifer Vey, Fels Institute of Government Brookings Institution,Center on Urban Alan Mallach, and Metropolitan Policy National Housing Institute Joseph Molinaro, National Association of Realtors *affiliations used for identification purposes only The National Vacant Properties Campaign's mission Is to help communities prevent abandonment and reclaim abandoned and vacant properties.The Campaign focuses on properties— homes,factories,stores,and vacant lots —that are not legally occupied,show signs of neglect or pose a public nuisance. The Campaign is pursuing four core activities: • developing a national network of vacant property practitioners and experts; • providing tools and research; • developing persuasive arguments for property reclamation; and • building the capacity of local,regional,andnational practitioners and decision-makers through technical assistance and training. The National Vacant Properties Campaign is a collaboration of four leading national organizations, Smart Growth America (SGA),Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC),the Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech (MI),and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).The Campaign is funded by the generous support of the Fannie Mae Foundation,the US Environmental Protection Agency the Ford Foundation,and the Surdna Foundation. For more information and to get involved,visit the web site at http://www.vacantpropertles.orgorwrlte the Campaign's director atjleonard@smartgrowthamerica.org.