Strengthening Neighborhoods

Let’s Get Started!

The purpose of the Summit County Land Bank is to strengthen neighborhoods and communities. Abandoned, vacant, and blighted properties create challenges that may be unique for every neighborhood. How would you improve a neighborhood by addressing an abandoned, vacant, and blighted lot? What would you need and how would you get it done? What kind of information would you want to know?

  • DISCOVER

    Review the Week 1 Handout, Introductory Video, Idea Box materials, and choose a community engagement strategy.

    Handout Summary

    The Week 1 Handout would provide a synopsis of the problem (neighborhood abandonment and blight as evidenced by vacant lots in residential neighborhoods, a summary of the PBL project, timeline, and milestones (what to expect), and topics to start thinking about (research, fundraising (if added), cost/budget, project management, evaluation, etc.), a description of the Idea Box and how it might be used later in the project, and information on the importance of engaging the community and possible community engagement strategies for this project

  • INVESTIGATE

    Review Week 2 Handout. Investigate the impacts of abandonment and blight on neighborhoods (the immediate problem) and learn what others may be doing with vacant lots in their communities (possible solutions). Engage the community to inform your design.

    Handout Summary

    The Week 2 Handout would provide prompts that may be useful in investigating the impacts of abandonment and blight and discovering existing, real-world solutions. The handout would also provide community engagement instructions (if to be conducted by students with support from SCLB) and guidance on developing/designing possible solutions using feedback from the community engagement exercise.

  • PLAN

    Review Week 3 Handout. Design your solution and develop your implementation plan. Build/Draw a model. Determine the cost for materials and supplies and the labor required to implement your project. Determine the division of labor and the time needed to complete your project.

    Handout Summary

    The Week 3 Handout would provide guidance on designing a solution, building or drawing a model to represent the solution using the materials from the Idea Box, and developing an implementation (day-of) plan. The handout would also include blank templates for a project budget, materials and supplies list, project schedule, and organizational/responsibility chart.

  • IMPLEMENT

    Review Week 4 Handout. With the help of your community partners at the Summit County Land Bank, build your project according to your design from start to finish.

    Handout Summary

    The Week 4 Handout would provide practical, day-of suggestions, tips, reminders, etc. The handout could include a roster of students present (so students can keep track of themselves and re-assign work that may have been previously assigned to a student who is absent).

  • EVALUATE

    Review Week 5 Handout and Project Evaluation Form. Evaluate your project. Engage the community to collect feedback.

    Handout Summary

    The Week 5 Handout would include some guidance on evaluating the project and would include a template Project Evaluation Form. Community engagement could take place at this stage or could be completed by SCLB staff between Week 4 and Week 5.