Comments on: Do you care about struggling communites? Take action!

By: Smart Growth Around America » Blog Archive » Congressional briefing on the Regeneration Act

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:08:32 +0000

[...] you interested in learning more about the way that the Regeneration Act currently before Congress could aid struggling communities, or about how other struggling communities are developing forward-thinking approaches to rebuild [...]

By: Tim

Tim — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:52:21 +0000

What is the likelihood of this legislation being enacted?

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:24:35 +0000

Thanks for the clarification. I think I inferred an exclusion since the bill appears to target larger communities.

Many of the small rural communities (those under 5000) in our part of the country have endured 50-80 years of population decline, leaving vacant houses and declining home values. Now, as these communities work to stem the decline, we find few resources available to address the issue.

I hope the bill’s final version (should it pass) makes it possible for small rural communities to take advantage of this opportunity.

Thanks again for making people aware of this bill.

By: Sara Wolfson

Sara Wolfson — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:55:53 +0000

That’s a really interesting comment. According to Jennifer Leonard from the National Vacant Property Campaign, rural communities are not excluded from the bill, as long as they demonstrate significant vacancy rates. The funding is split 50/50 between large communities (above 150,000 residents) and smaller (anything below 150,000 residents.)

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:47:54 +0000

This sounds like an innovative approach worth supporting. Is there a reason that rural communities facing the same issues are excluded from it?