Neighborhood Preservation, Inc. to Visit Providence and Host Community Feedback Session

PROVIDENCE, RI –Neighborhood Preservation, Inc. (NPI), a nonprofit, community revitalization intermediary based in Memphis, Tennessee, and representatives from the University of Memphis School of Law will meet with local and state officials, nonprofits, civic organizations, local institutions, university and business leaders and neighborhood groups to discuss how Providence will promote its own collaborative, cross-sector initiative to revitalize vacant and abandoned buildings. The NPI scoping team will be in Providence Monday, November 6 through Wednesday, November 8.

Within the past three years, Memphis has emerged as a national model in addressing vacant and abandoned properties and their harmful effects on communities. NPI’s team of experts has led many of the efforts to combat property blight in Memphis and in Buffalo, Atlanta, Cleveland, Youngstown, Macon, Newburgh, Philadelphia, San Diego, Flint and Toledo as well. The NPI scoping team consists of:

Danny Schaffzin, J.D., Associate Professor of Law and Director of Experiential Learning; Co-Director, Neighborhood Preservation Clinic, University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law
Kermit Lind, M.A., J.D., Senior Faculty for the Academy, Neighborhood Preservation, Inc. Fellow; Clinical Professor Emeritus, Cleveland Marshall School of Law, Cleveland State University
Joe Schilling, J.D., LLM, Senior Faculty for the Academy, Neighborhood Preservation, Inc. Fellow; Co-Founder, Vacant Property Research Network; Senior Researcher, Urban Institute, Washington D.C.
Austin Harrison, Program Coordinator, Neighborhood Preservation, Inc.
Steve Barlow, M.A., J.D., President, Neighborhood Preservation, Inc.; Adjunct Professor of Law and Co-Director faculty, Neighborhood Preservation Clinic, University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law

Throughout their visit, the NPI team will meet with various community, city, and state-level stakeholders in order to gain a better understanding of Providence’s landscape, resources, opportunities and challenges. The team will hold a community conversation on November 6, 2017 at 5:30PM at Providence Career and Technical Academy. At the conversation, the City of Providence will provide an update on their ongoing efforts to address vacant and abandoned properties followed by an opportunity for community feedback and engagement with the NPI team.