Neighborhood Stabilization & Planning
- Greenfill Development: A Guide to Repurposing Vacant Lots for Flower Farming Enterprises
The Guide is the first of its kind, and helps identify how community groups can grow crops on vacant land and generate enough money to not only pay for the taxes, insurance, and long-term maintenance of the lots, but also supplement other community programs.
- A Tresspass Primer for Community Groups Maintaining Vacant Property
A primer for community groups and residents undertaking vacant property maintenance activities. It covers the potential legal consequences to maintaining a vacant property without the owner’s permission under Michigan law.
- Finding Contact Information for a Corporation or LLC
A simple how-to guide on conducting a business entity search to find the registered agent responsible for the LLC or business that owns a property.
- Foreclosure Prevention Manual
Materials developed to train housing counselors about foreclosure prevention issues. Designed according to national trainings, topics covered include predatory lending, understanding Michigan’s foreclosure process, and the mortgage lending industry.
- Land Forum Series – Key Questions to Consider Before Buying a Property
A helpful list of questions for prospective property buyers to answer before they make an offer.
- Land Forum Series – Purchase and Due Diligence Worksheet for Buying Property
A worksheet to help prospective buyers estimate purchase and ownership costs for buying a property.
- Land Forum Series – 203K Loans – An Affordable Loan to Buy and Renovate Property
From the July 2014 Land Forum Series workshop, this document shares basic information about a valuable tool in purchasing and renovating properties.
- Michigan Vacant Property Campaign – Michigan Communities and Squatting – What You Need to Know
A guide describing types of squatting and how communities can respond.
- Vacant Property Toolbox – 2nd Edition
The Vacant Property Toolbox, 2nd edition provides an overview of both short and long term strategies that community organizations can apply to reduce the negative impact of vacant properties on neighborhood conditions.
- Vacant Property Coalition – Stretching Dollars for Neighborhood Improvement
From our May 2014 Vacant Property Coalition meeting, this recap document helps inform neighborhood-based organization about opportunities to obtain funding and supplies for community improvement activities.
- Grandmont Rosedale Quality of Life Plan
MCR developed this document to assist the Detroit-based Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation (GRDC) with a Commercial Vacancy and Market Analysis. The project goals were to support the revitalization of the Grand River Corridor through identifying commercial properties for GRDC to potentially acquire within identified commercial target areas and gaining a better understanding of the commercial real estate market in the neighborhood.
- Jefferson Chalmers Neighborhood Stabilization Plan
Completed in March 2013, The Jefferson-Chalmers Neighborhood Stabilization Plan provides stakeholders with a comprehensive work plan to create a cleaner and safer Jefferson-Chalmers community. The Plan places particular emphasis on low-cost strategies to eradicate blight and foster collaborative approaches to preserving assets and encouraging investment.
- Morningside Neighborhood Stabilization Plan
Completed in July 2010 and updated in April 2011, the Morningside and East English Village Neighborhood Stabilization Plan emerged from a community-led planning process with support from Detroit LISC and the Next Detroit Neighborhood Initiative. The Plan established strategies to stabilize residential areas by reducing vacancy and improving housing conditions.
- Villages Neighborhood Stabilization Plan
Completed in July 2011, The Villages Communities Neighborhood Stabilization Plan emerged from a community-led planning process with support from The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. The Plan provides stakeholders with a multi-pronged approach to stabilize the neighborhood through improving the residential fabric, increasing local control, repopulating the neighborhood, building green assets, strengthening commercial nodes, and beautification.