Campaign to Take Back Vacant Land proposes land bank ...

There are vacant lots in every part of the city, but the greatest concentrations are in North Central, West and western South Philadelphia.

Recently we reported on the issue of?the excessive amount of unmaintained land vacancies in the city. Philadelphia is spending millions of dollars to keep city-owned land clean, but the amount of lots and homes is adding up, leaving these tiny plots of land full of litter, debris, and more. If you have been through the areas with the highest concentrations of vacant land, such as North Central, West and South?Philadelphia, you?ve seen the problem.

A coalition of over 40 area community, faith and labor groups have formed the Campaign to Take Back Vacant Land. The goal of the organization is to work with city government to implement laws that will help put these lots in the hands of the community or make them more accessible to local individuals so that they can occupy the land, giving new meaning to the term ?Occupy Philly.?

Members of the Coalition to Take Back Vacant Land gather to clean up a vacant lot at 5th Street and Susquehanna Avenue.

Marcus Presley of the Women?s Community Revitalization Project explains there are a variety of reasons the groups have formed the coalition. Some are mainly focused on land for affordable housing while others work to create urban farms and local businesses in?Philadelphia?s?communities. The Campaign to Take Back Vacant Land, through the individual organizations? efforts, currently maintains thousands of vacant lots throughout the city.

?The theme that?unifies?all of these different perspectives is that we need a land bank that is a tool for communities to?realize?their?vision for their neighborhoods. We can?t just have a?system?where land goes to the?highest?bidder,? he says. The coalition grew exponentially after its members began discussing the idea of a land bank as a potential solution.

?The message of community?control?over vacant land?really?resonated with people. We have also continued to spread our message through community meetings that have attracted up to 150 residents, as well as other forms of outreach,? Presley explains.

Currently the coalition is running a photo contest to help raise awareness for its cause. Presley says the contest serves two purposes. First, the contest asks Philly locals to send in pictures of the ?worst lot?; by turning these in, the Campaign is highlighting the problem. This contest will enable the Campaign to pull together pictures and stories of the more than 40,000 properties that ?breed crime and garbage and bring down property values.?

Presley states that this evidence will clearly show City Council the real depth of the problem.

During the Street administration, the Neighborhood Transformation Initiative turned hundreds of overgrown vacant lots into neat lawns like this one in Strawberry Mansion. The Campaign to Take Back Vacant Land is looking for community-maintained lots that do these at least one better. Photo by Sandy Smith.

The second part of the contest is for the ?best lot.? This half of the contest shows the potential the undeveloped plots of land have. These are the parcels of land where communities have taken an active role in reclaiming and maintaining them, but if locals want the lots used, why aren?t they just buying them? Many lots list for under $30,000.

According to Presley, locals have hit some major red tape.

?The process for getting access to vacant lots near your home is pretty convoluted, and people have had very different?experiences based on neighborhoods or which city agency?actually?owns the land. A land bank would consolidate this land into one centralized place and ensure that land would be given at nominal cost to people and?organizations?that will use it for the good of the neighborhood.?

Is a land trust or land bank the real answer? These types of property management systems come with restrictions?that would help out local residents, but will they help major developers who run the risks of projects falling through in this economy, especially in the neighborhoods that need redeveloping the most?

Presley argues this will have no effect on big construction.

?There is?definitely?a need to have for-profit?development?in this city, and a land bank would simplify the land?acquisition?process for both for-profit and non-profit?organizations. The?goal?of the campaign is to ensure that community-based?organizations?that?don?t?have the same?resources as a lot of for-profit?developers have?equal?access to land. This is particularly?important?in neighborhoods where housing prices are increasing?rapidly?and there is the potential for displacement.?

Philadelphia?s Best and Worst Lot Photo Contest will run through August 31. The coalition will announce the winners at a large event at City Hall, which will also kick off the drive to pass the proposed land bank bill by the end of the year.

-By Brooke Hoffman for PhiladelphiaRealEstate.com

Except where noted, photos by the author

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Source: http://blog.philadelphiarealestate.com/campaign-to-take-back-vacant-land-proposes-land-bank/

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