Housing costs are one of the largest monthly expenses for many households. Many jobs are located in higher cost areas of a community, putting an even greater strain on household finances if employees live near their work.
This toolkit, produced by the National Community Land Trust Network, is a one-stop shop for creating and implementing a community land trust. The toolkit contains valuable information on planning, organizational structure, financing strategies, and more.
Financial wellness programs are increasingly being offered as a benefit to employees as a way of helping boost their economic security. These programs vary between employers, but are all aimed at increasing financial literacy, promoting savings, and managing debt or financial emergencies. Examples of services provided include financial coaching and counseling, debt management services, savings products and services, short-term loans and accrued wage advances, online financial management tools, and financial education classes
States can provide more than direct financial resources to struggling cities – they can encourage cities to be better fiscal planners, boost municipalities’ operational capacity, and create the conditions for new economic development. Particularly given ever diverging economic trends between high-growth and economically-challenged cities, state assistance may be more important than ever.
The community land trust model is a mechanism to provide affordable housing through land leasing and homeownership. There are approximately 160 community land trusts operating throughout the United States. These land trusts are typically a non-profit, community-based organization whose primary mission is to create and maintain a stock of affordable housing.
This working paper, written by Alan Mallach and released by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, explores that interdependence while making recommendations for how states can support urban revitalization that is both sustainable and inclusive.
Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and similarly, Special Improvement Districts (SIDs), can be a valuable tool in revitalizing a city’s central commercial district. These districts operate in a clearly delineated area within which property owners are subject to a fee to fund maintenance and public improvements. They operate as nonprofit 501(c)(4) organizations, public-private partnerships, or city agencies.
This report measures and catalogs the successes of the Main Street Approach™ in communities throughout Michigan. The Main Street Approach™ is an economic development strategy that focuses on historic preservation and building upon a community’s authentic sense of place.
The toolkit aims to take engagement beyond simply “checking the box” of public participation and instead authentically incorporating the perspective of the people that will be most impacted by changes.
Addressing the challenge of distressed neighborhoods can be daunting – and many cities may not know where to start. Since resources are limited, cities and their partners must work together to methodically implement their strategic plans.