Abandoned housing and land

In this week's Global Local, we're focusing on vacant, abandoned and derelict buildings and land and how local governments can repurpose these for better use for the public.

As our cities, towns and villages transform, this development often leaves behind abandoned places.

With the decline of some industries, shifting migration patterns, the increased popularity of online shopping and the preference for big city living, vacancy is on the rise. While the definition of vacancy is often contested, the U.S Census Bureau estimated 16 million dwellings were empty in 2020, and the issue is perhaps even more striking in town centres, with one 2019 study finding that one in ten UK high street shops have been left vacant.

Abandoned housing and derelict sites create numerous issues for local governments. These range from public safety concerns, health hazards, loss in revenue from low taxation, high maintenance costs and surrounding property value decreases, and other issues concerning amenity, communities, and local economies. Local governments may also face concern from residents questioning why abandoned housing isn't used to help address housing issues or homelessness.

While an obvious problem, abandoned buildings and sites are also a missed opportunity. Many of us, particularly in urban settings, live in close proximity to vacant or derelict land. Revitalising these sites could mean a new park, business, housing development or service within walking distance. In addition, renovating and retrofitting abandoned homes carries much less of a carbon footprint, making it a far more sustainable choice.

Councils around the world have the power to intervene, be it through enforcing high taxes, property maintenance laws or by working with community organisations, such as guardianship groups. In this edition of Global Local, we'll take a look at some success stories of local authorities repurposing abandoned housing and land. We'll also explore why abandoned buildings and land end up vacant in the first place.

By Thomas Lynch, LGIU

Across Europe, local government is at the forefront of addressing the scourge of vacancy and dereliction in our town centres and communities. Unfortunately, like the housing crisis, there is no simple solution. While the metrics for defining vacancy and dereliction prove highly contested, GeoDirectory Residential Buildings Report Q4 2022 classified there as 83,662 vacant properties across Ireland – with Mayo County ranking as having the 2nd highest vacancy rate.

To find out just how Mayo County Council is tackling the issue head-on, LGIU’s Thomas Lynch spoke to Thomas Gilligan, Director of Services at Mayo County Council. They chatted about the Irish Government's plan to tackle vacancy and dereliction, the difficulties in defining vacancy, the importance of town centres, what drives vacancy, and what Mayo County Council's experience and plans are to tackle dereliction.

Curated case studies and news from around the globe.

USA: Baltimore pursues urban farming to tackle vacancy and food insecurity

The City of Baltimore has an overabundance of vacant properties, with 30,000 abandoned lots and derelict buildings that cost over $7 million annually to maintain. Coupled with widespread concerns with food insecurity in low-income neighbourhoods and a suitable climate, the city has pushed to become a leading hub for urban farming. Seventeen urban farms have launched in the city since 2010, and the local government has moved to support this growth through a new initiative that leases vacant city-owned land to qualified urban farmers, alongside a new zoning code, a program to provide water access to growers, and an urban agriculture plan. 

Medium

FRANCE: Revitalising abandoned buildings for new Parisian cultural hotspots

Across Paris, a wave of abandoned urban plots are being transformed into cultural hubs, from artists’ studios, theatres, charity offices and club venues. These friches (abandoned buildings) range from former railway premises, to office blocks, to the world’s first airship manufacturing hangar, and offer a solution for city authorities where space does not come easily. Emmanuel Grégoire, deputy urban planner for the city council, has said that Paris no longer demolishes but transforms. According to a local urban planning study, 75% of work requests are for the transformation of existing structures, with 44 of these projects the subject of a new gallery exhibition. 

Le Monde

DENMARK: Danish municipality houses Ukrainian refugees in empty nursing homes

The municipality of Haderslev, Denmark has found a unique solution to Europe’s refugee issue while helping to reduce its own vacant home problem. Last April, authorities moved to accommodate Ukrainian refugees in public housing usually reserved for the elderly, but unused at the time due to low demand. Launched in April 2022, some 40 empty nursing homes were selected to house hundreds of Ukrainian refugees. Chairman of the senior and health committee Allan Emiliussen said the scheme is helping to ensure proper housing for all, while contributing to the smoother processing of migrants.

The Mayor

AUSTRIA: City reverses ‘death of high street’ and vacancy crisis

Two years ago, the City of Eisenstadt, Austria was facing an issue common amongst smaller places, the ‘Death of the High Street’. The ever-growing popularity of online shopping and out-of-town retailers can lead to drops-in-business and closure for small and medium-sized outlets on the high street and central shopping centres. Facing this issue themselves, Eisenstadt’s local authorities implemented a comprehensive strategy to reverse this trend. Measures included improving amenities and accessibility through more, free bus services and new trees, a vacancy management program, a shop local voucher scheme, frequent event days, bonuses to new business, and the removal of sidewalk business fees. The strategy has been successful, with the number of vacant shops in the city’s pedestrianised district dropping from 18 seven years ago to six today. 

The Mayor

We rounded up the best case studies from our articles and exclusive Member briefings as well as examples of interesting practice from our Daily News Service available to everyone at member organisations.

Have a story you’d like to tell? Drop your idea in our online suggestion box or email us at info@lgiu.org

Later this year, we'll be bringing together executive speakers from local government across the countries we work in and beyond to consider how councils can use derelict and abandoned buildings to address the housing crisis.

Click here to sign up when the event goes live!

Thanks for reading!

Global Local is a subscription service that brings you the best innovation, ideas and experience to be found in local government around the world. We believe that we learn, adapt and deliver better for our communities when we are connected.

Next week, we’ll be looking at the difficulties of tackling climate change during cost of living crisis.

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