Vacant, Abandoned and Underutilized Property Summit
Louisville Metro’s identity as a desirable place to live and work has its roots firmly planted in the city’s affordability of housing and relatively low cost of living. Historically, Metro Louisville has been a city with strong, thriving neighborhoods, excellent housing stock and one of the nation’s best local park systems. In this scenario, people feel safe and value where they live, economic development grows, and our city becomes more competitive. Strong neighborhoods foster diverse, inclusive and prosperous communities that provide access to goods, services, employment and education. Very simply, quality neighborhoods are the lifelines with which to build strong economic development, shopping districts, recreational opportunities and a stable housing market.
Today, Louisville faces the aftermath of the collapse of the housing industry as neighborhood challenges grow to dangerous proportions. As foreclosures rise, more properties become vacant and abandoned, creating breeding grounds for criminal activity, increased vagrancy and fire hazards. These issues present many challenges in the areas of public safety and progressive neighborhood decay.
The Vacant, Abandoned and Underutilized Property Summit sponsored by Louisville Metro was held on April 28, 2011 @ Louisville’s Memorial Auditorium. The Summit organized the major collaborators within public, private, non-profit and citizens to develop strategies and solutions to the growing threat created by vacant and abandoned structures in Jefferson County. Jefferson County PVA Tony Lindauer and Chief Deputy Donna Hunt presented on the “problems and challenges” inherent in the rise of distressed properties and the impact they are having on our community.
Other Participants in the Summit were: Elite Homes, Jefferson County Attorney, Legal Aid, Metropolitan Housing Coalition, Network Center for Community Change, New Directions, and River City Housing.
The broad range of topics focused on; Code Enforcement, Lien Processes, Land Bank Authority, Banking, Tax Liens & the Foreclosure process. Small group break outs identified the problems and brainstormed strategies and actions necessary to begin addressing the difficult challenges facing Louisville.
Louisville is at an important crossroads in restoring our urban vitality and recreating strong housing stock in areas hardest hit by the foreclosure crisis. The Summit identified the fundamental challenges that confront our community and it gave us a roadmap to begin setting priorities and developing actions that will bring sound and best practices toward removal and reuse of vacant and abandoned properties.
The presentation made by PVA Tony Lindauer and Chief Deputy Donna Hunt reflected extensive research and a broad collaboration with public, private, non-profit and citizens. The use of GIS colored maps made the report engaging and allowed instant understanding of the depth and concentration of the problem. It examined the impact of foreclosures on property values in specific areas. The presentation was thought provoking and poignantly spotlighted the existing and growing community problems.
Lasting change is built around knowing where you are and where you want to be. The benefit and value of the report tells us where we’ve been, where we are and identifies critical areas of need in setting the priorities.
We believe the Vacant, Abandoned and Underutilized Property Summit will lead to positive outcomes and fulfill its mission for the community because it:
• Establishes the urgency for the community in organizing and collaborating.
• Is a call to action to create collaborative efforts toward advancing the social and economic conditions of the areas in need.
• Will be an ongoing conduit to promote change in the community
• Creates leverage for the resources necessary to address deficiencies.
• Builds a more responsive government.
• Determines the priorities for the plan of action by identifying target areas.
• Develops collaborative programs and policies to address areas of need.
• Will serve as a guide to the Banking industry in designing foreclosure assistance and community reinvestment programs.
Lastly, the Summit serves as a call to action for the entire community in asking “what role can I play?” How can I as an elected leader, civic leader or citizen work together in contributing to an action plan that engages the whole community toward creating the broad vision necessary to eliminate the social and economic challenges of urban decay, and facilitate solutions toward removing the social ills created by the foreclosed, vacant and abandoned properties problem?
Louisville SEO & web design by VIA Studio