Briefing on Vacant Buildings Data Collection in Chicago Region

Enhanced data collection by municipalities in the Chicago six county region will help the region address the problem of vacant buildings, a new report by Woodstock Institute found. The report, Deciphering Blight: Vacant Buildings Data Collection in the Chicago Six County Region, recommends several steps municipalities can take to improve and standardize data collection.

Download the report

The number of vacant homes has grown as a result of the foreclosure crisis, leaving the properties vulnerable to vandalism and blight. Vacant and abandoned buildings often depress surrounding property values and may attract crime to the area, particularly if the homes are not properly maintained. As of the end of 2012, nearly 70,000 properties in the Chicago region were vacant for more than two years.

Please join us for a briefing on the report. Woodstock Institute’s Katie Buitrago will discuss the findings of the research on data collection practices and the recommendations in the report for improving the standards and methods used, and Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer will discuss how data on vacant buildings helps to inform the decisions of the Cook County Land Bank.

For call-in information, please register for the briefing.