The U.S. housing market remains extremely uneven. While some areas have rebounded significantly from the recession and have a robust housing market, others – especially communities of color, lower-income areas, and cities where economic activity remains depressed – continue to grapple with high rates of vacant, abandoned and distressed properties that weaken nearby home values, create health and safety risks, lower local tax revenues, and thwart neighborhood revitalization efforts.
The National Community Stabilization Trust (NCST) is a non-profit organization that works to restore vacant and abandoned properties to productive use and protect neighborhoods from blight. Our programs facilitate the rehabilitation of vacant but structurally sound homes, enable safe, targeted demolition when necessary, and support creative and productive re-use of vacant land.
We support neighborhoods and fight blight through these key activities:
- Provide community-based buyers an opportunity to acquire vacant, abandoned and distressed properties as part of a neighborhood revitalization strategy. Our First Look REO acquisition program gives local housing and community development organizations the opportunity to obtain properties before they are marketed more broadly.
- Work with policymakers and serve as an advocate. Along with many national and local partners, including our six founders, we research solutions and advocate for policies to help communities address blight and high rates of vacant, abandoned, and distressed properties.
- Own and manage distressed mortgages through The ReClaim Project. In collaboration with the Housing Partnership Network (HPN), we manage a portfolio of highly distressed mortgages to resolve delinquencies, assist homeowners, and prepare vacant properties for productive disposition.
- Work in collaboration with NeighborWorks America on the Middle Neighborhoods Initiative. The Middle Neighborhoods Initiative, brings attention to neighborhoods across the country that have long been stable communities for middle and working class families, but that today are at risk of either decline or displacement from gentrification. NeighborWorks America supports the Middle Neighborhoods Community of Practice, which brings city officials and neighborhood-based organizations from across the nation together with policy makers, academics, financial institutions, and foundations interested in these efforts.
Download our fact sheet: NCST Overview