Table 3.

Characteristics of community engagement programs and policies for vacant lots in the U.S.

Case	Year	Program	Goals	Planning strategies
New York, NY	1999	Community gardens	Provide permanent space and support to community gardens.	114 community gardens through Trust for Public Land (TPL) & New York Restoration Project (NYRP). More than 600 community gardens are registered with Green Thumb (of over 1000 citywide). NYRP & TPL purchased 114 community gardens in 1999 from the City of New York, which threatened to develop the sites as housing. The TPL incubated three local land trusts (Bronx Land Trust, Manhattan Land Trust, & Brooklyn Queens Land Trust) based on community interest.
Detroit, MI	1989	The greening of Detroit	Increase vegetative cover and improve communities in Detroit.	Appx. 1400 vacant lots greened and maintained, appx. 1400 family, school, and community vegetable gardens developed, and 80,000+ trees planted. For urban reforestation program, uses GIS to ensure that each planting maximizes ecosystem services, as well as social considerations.
Genesee County, MI	2002	Genesee County Land Bank Authority	Acquire, manage, and dispose of foreclosed properties for public benefit, including urban redevelopment and the greening of vacant lots.	Community gardens, urban agriculture, side yards. Through the clean & green program, Signature Greening projects demonstrate new greening practices, including low-maintenance plantings and pocket parks. The Land Bank works with community organizations & residents to identify and prioritize sites for greening.

Source: Crauderueff et al. (2012), reorganized by author.