Bringing Buildings Back

by Mallach, Alan

• ISBN13: 9780813538754
• ISBN10: 0813538750
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-07-25
• Publisher: Rutgers Univ Pr

Summary

Combining practical suggestions with a thoughtful exploration of policy, Bringing Buildings Back provides insights from law, economics, planning, and design to address all sides of the abandoned and vacant property problem, from how abandonment can be prevented to how best to bring these properties back into productive reuse. Bringing Buildings Back provides policymakers and practitioners with the first in-depth guide to understanding and dealing with the many ramifications that this issue holds for the future of our older cities. The book is replete with examples of how cities, community development corporations, and others have devised creative, effective solutions.

Table of Contents

List of Figures and Tables	vii
Preface: Using this Guidebook	ix
Acknowledgments	xiii
Understanding abandonment	1	(10)
PART 1 Preventing Abandonment	11	(58)
Introduction: Thinking strategically	13	(4)
Property Information and early warning systems	17	(7)
Improving the economic viability of at-risk absentee-owned properties	24	(7)
Preventing abandonment of owner-occupied housing	31	(9)
Enforcement and Intervention	40	(9)
Receivership	49	(20)
Resources for further Information	66	(3)
PART 2 Taking Control of Abandoned Properties	69	(118)
Introduction	72	(3)
Making tax foreclosure work	75	(11)
Other property acquisition tools	86	(17)
Property disposition	103	(14)
Setting up an abandoned property management system	117	(11)
Designing and establishing land bank entities	128	(15)
Getting action on privately owned properties	143	(23)
Maintaining, securing, and removing abandoned properties	166	(21)
Resources for further Information	183	(4)
PART 3 Fostering Sustainable Reuse of Abandoned Properties	187	(120)
Laying the groundwork for the city's future	191	(6)
Making markets for abandoned properties	197	(20)
Using incentives to further community investment	217	(16)
Building reuse strategies around neighborhood market dynamics	233	(12)
Neighborhood revitalization planning and abandoned property strategies	245	(21)
Principles for abandoned property reuse	266	(17)
Greening the urban environment: Open space as a reuse strategy	283	(24)
Resources for further information	302	(5)
Appendix Estimating the number of abandoned properties in American cities	307	(4)
Select Bibliography	311	(2)
Index	313