The Vacant Housing Recycling Program seeks to revitalize Minneapolis neighborhoods by turning vacant properties into new housing opportunities. Through the program, the City typically acquires tax-forfeited properties and sells them to either developers or residents. Purchasers construct new homes on vacant land or rehabilitate vacant structures to meet the program’s minimum rehabilitation standards. Currently, there are 19 vacant structures and 321 vacant lots the City is marketing through the program – many on the Northside.
Beyond providing new housing opportunities, homes sold through the program have an impact on their surrounding neighborhood. Often the vacant structures in the program were registered as vacant buildings for two or more years before the City purchased the property and are typically in desperate need of investment. By rehabilitating the homes, a blighting influence is removed from the block, positively impacting the other properties on that block. Vacant lots that are developed through the program result in an increase in tax base, which enables government agencies to provide services such as police, fire, schools and streets. For info visit the City website.