Urban development and economic transitions frequently result in vacant properties within cities, presenting significant challenges.
Such urban voids emerge from diverse urban processes, including demographic shifts, urban sprawl, deindustrialization, and housing foreclosures, leading to abandoned buildings and unused land. These contribute to diminished quality of life, decreased property values, and hindered investment in the affected neighbourhoods.
But with housing, mental health, and social isolation crises afoot, cities across Canada face a paradox of needing to build more social infrastructure, while many buildings and lots still remain empty.
Municipal policymakers may prioritize addressing vacancies because they can lead to decreased property values, reducing local tax revenues critical for funding public services. Vacant properties often become sites for vandalism and crime, undermining community safety and wellbeing. Additionally, vacancies represent missed opportunities for housing and economic development, crucial for sustaining vibrant, growing communities.
Despite the challenges of vacant urban lands from economic and political perspectives, these spaces possess substantial potential for enhancing social value. Yet, the predominant focus has been on the development of urban brownfields, with less attention given to the broader possibilities offered by the various types of vacant urban lands, especially within economically depressed neighbourhoods (Kim, Miller, & Nowak, 2018).
What can we do to alleviate the risk of vacancies on our communities?
This paper presents a short overview of how cities across Canada are responding to this challenge.
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