Philly Land Bank Finally Able to Acquire Vacant Property Again

For the first time in five years, the Philadelphia Land Bank has reclaimed its priority bid status and can acquire vacant property again.

The memorandum of understanding (MOU) was passed last week, and will be in place for the next year, after which a new agreement will be reached.

The Philadelphia Land Bank primarily uses tax sales to gather vacant properties to repurpose into affordable housing or open community spaces. 

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Shapiro Admin Partners with Penn State to Launch New Center for Plant Excellence

Representatives from the Shapiro Administration and The Penn State College of Agriculture Sciences launched the new Center for Plant Excellence.

This center will focus on driving plant-based innovation and agricultural business growth.

The PSU Southeast Research Center will lead the initiative with goals of collaborating with other researchers and organizations upcoming. 



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Ownership Profile of Single-Family Residence Properties in Philadelphia

In Philadelphia, large corporate investors own 8.8 percent of single-family rental properties, a higher rate than the national average.

Among these properties, most are found amongst distressed and lower-income neighborhoods.

This report explores the role of corporate investors in ownership of single-family housing units in Philadelphia, and the demographic characteristics of these properties.

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How Three Nonprofits in Japan Address Truancy and Isolation with Cinema Club

In Japan, there is an increasing rate of children who do not attend school for over 30 days for reasons other than health or finances, a number which has steadily grown over the last nine years.

Factors such as problems with teachers and friends, social media, and dissatisfaction with teaching topics are main reasons for children to drop out of school, a decision with long-term consequences such as limited development, reduced opportunities, and toll on mental health.

This article discusses how the Ueda Children’s Cinema Club launched between three nonprofits is using free movie screenings to combat truancy and build community connections among adults and school-age children.



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Supporting the Movement to Professionalize Community Health Workers

Community Health has been an important facet of contemporary healthcare, existing in various forms around the world.

However, most of the 5 million community health workers around the world, primarily in the Global South, are unpaid for their work in expanding access to health systems.

This report discusses the systemic changes needed to ethically and effectively boost climate-resistant health systems in areas of need, with care to the community health workers at the forefront.



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Understanding Office-to-Residential Conversion

Over the last few years, a shift away from in-office work has created many vacant office properties across the nation.

Additionally, American cities are experiencing a critical lack of housing, creating opportunities to convert underused professional spaces into residential properties, especially in urban hot markets.

Brookings Research explains the key factors of office-to-residential conversion, and how cities can benefit from the transition. 



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