Date & Time
Friday, September 25, 2026, 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Name
Creative Pathways for Turning Vacant Properties into Opportunities for Economic Development
Speakers
Rachel Fischer, NeighborWorks America
Elizabeth Celaya, NeighborWorks America
Celena Green,
Erika Haskins,
Justin Washington,
Darya Pilram,
Elizabeth Celaya, NeighborWorks America
Celena Green,
Erika Haskins,
Justin Washington,
Darya Pilram,
Description
- Hear from five Economic Recovery Corps fellows on creative approaches to transforming underutilized spaces (examples include creative district certification in Spokane, Washington; impact investing in Maine; tech-enabled space activation in Indiana; a cross-border arts corridor in Arizona; and affordable housing innovations in Alabama)
- Learn how to stack funding and incentive mechanisms (e.g., opportunity zones, tax credits) to make revitalization projects financially viable
- Get strategies to empower local developers and small businesses to acquire and activate underutilized spaces
- Understand how to embed anti-displacement principles and community wealth-building from the start of a revitalization effort