Block Watch Summit: Tackling Vacant Properties in your Neighborhood

Like other large cities across our country, Detroit struggles with the effects of foreclosures and vacant property that threaten the health and vibrancy of its neighborhoods.  On October 25, 2008, Detroit LISC held the Block Watch Summit: Tackling Vacant Properties in your Neighborhood.  This Summit officially launched the Detroit Vacant Property Campaign (DVPC), an initiative of Detroit LISC led by Community Legal Resources (CLR). 

Over 200 people, including neighborhood associations, block clubs, community development corporations and other community development organizations, staff from city and county agencies, and concerned residents, learned ways to address the obstacles facing them when dealing with vacant and abandoned properties in their neighborhoods.

During this two hour Summit attendees were able to gather information, ask questions, and interact both with the DVPC as well as with eachother.  As part of the DVPC launch, attendees were given the opportunity to join the DVPC and pledge their action.  Pledge forms included actions such as attending future Block Watch Summits to learn about new resources and report conditions in their neighborhoods, talking to the neighbors on their block and helping their block to get/stay organized, attending and participating in neighborhood association meetings or police district meetings, and helping take care of vacant properties.  

Everyone at the Summit received an Executive Summary of the DVPC Toolbox, the “how-to” guide on responding to vacant properties. This toolbox includes strategies on preventing vacancy, determining ownership, forming a neighborhood-wide strategy, preventing damage, and demolishing properties. Participants also received the DVPC Quick Reference Guide with commonly used phone numbers to keep neighborhoods safe and strong.

For more information on the DVPC, please visit http://www.detroitvacantproperty.org/