I know you have them in your community.   They’re the spots where you say I wish they would do something there.  You know, those vacant, overgrown lots that are not only eyesores but serve as places to dispose of trash and to conduct illegal activities.

Well…why don’t you be the person to do something there.   And to help you get started,  NAR will be having a webinar on Reactivating Vacant Properties into Community Spaces. The webinar, which is free, will be on June 3 from 2:00 to 3:00 pm eastern.   Registration is open.

The webinar will focus on how to address and deal with vacant properties, specifically vacant lots.   To start things off, Jennifer Leonard, who is the Vice President and Director of National Leadership & Education at the Center for Community Progress will give a brief overview of vacant properties and the negative impact on a community.

We will then hear from several organizations on how they are transforming vacant and abandoned lots into community open spaces and vibrant gathering places.

  • Ashe Smith, the Community Greening Coordinator for the Parks & People Foundation in Baltimore will discuss how his organization works with the city of Baltimore’s Adopt a Lot to transform overgrown, vacant lots into green spaces.

  • Sherida Morrison and T-awannda Piper, both from Demoiselle 2 Femme, will tell us about one of the many projects they plan and manage to empower young women.   They will share with us how they engaged the community to transform an unsafe vacant lot in Chicago into a safe, play area for children.

  • Tracey Malooley, Association Executive & Tom Chiado, Board Member, of the Terre Haute Association of REALTORS®, will talk about how they are transforming a vacant lot, which the Association purchased, into a community garden.  This project was funded, in part, with NAR’s Placemaking Micro-grant.

Also take a look these blog posts for more ideas:  Bring Life to Vacant Spaces and Neighborhood Eyesore to Gathering Place for Pooches and People.

So…are you ready to find out how to get rid of that eyesore in your neighborhood?

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