While there is little to celebrate in the current foreclosure disaster, one potential
silver lining in the large number of bank-owned properties is the opportunity
to turn those properties into community assets. A May 2008 conference
hosted by the Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy at New
York University and sponsored by the Ford Foundation brought together policy experts and
practitioners to share best practices for “Transforming Foreclosed Properties into Community
Assets.” Most of the discussion focused on what can be done by partners… more
