April 10, 2006

We are inviting all mayors to provide descriptions of your most successful approaches to combating the problems posed by vacant and abandoned properties. These “best practices” will be released in a report in Las Vegas at the 74th Annual Meeting in June.

The best practices that you are willing to share with other mayors will be most useful if your descriptions of them include:

• the formal title of your initiative;

• the specific problem addressed;

• major activities undertaken and/or services provided;

• approach to leadership and organization, including the roles of the city and any other partners in the initiative;

• funding sources;

• the most serious challenges encountered, and how they were overcome;

• the most significant or visible results – both quantitative and qualitative – to date;

• lessons learned which you believe would be helpful to others wanting to replicate your initiative; and

• contact information (name, title, address, phone and fax numbers, e-mail address) of an official in your city who can provide additional information.

There is no need for your best practice submission to be lengthy - approximately 500 words would work well for the publication.

We hope you are able to contribute to this best practices effort. If you are, please email an attachment of your best practice description(s) as soon as possible by no later than Friday, April 21, to Gene Lowe on the Conference staff at glowe@usmayors.org. If you do not have e-mail, it may be faxed to 202-293-2352. If you have any questions or need additional information, please call Gene Lowe at 202-861-6710.